Live at Mercury Lounge: Matthew Hemerlein

Even if you haven't heard Matthew's music, there's something to grasp onto from just looking at him. No shoes necessary, perfectly on-point blue jeans, a sleep-ready henley, a haircut that's more Men's Vogue than musician and a handle on an instrument most typically used in folksy-throwback bands on Mercury Lounge's stage. Multidimensional in the finest of senses, it's tough to figure out what this guy's all about on the surface. And, as one of the kindest people we've ever met and deepest artists we've ever worked with, his music has a particular uncommonness that keeps us coming back for more.

Which, if your extend of knowledge about him still brims at the photos above, should change now. Now-now. Now-now-now-now-now. There are few people in this world who can master a spot-on Ginuwine cover or write a song called "Luminescent Braid" that's actually a chunk of musical poetry, and I'm confident in saying that Matthew might be the only name in that sliver between circles in the venn diagram of aforementioned skills. We're told he'll be bringing his weekly Washington D.C.-based Family Hemerlein showcases our way this year, and you can bet your butts we'll be urging the lot of you to come along with us. He may be far away for now, but soon, he'll be ours once again.

Couch Session: Matthew Hemerlein

Couch Session #33: Matthew Hemerlein

We've rarely been graced by such an intriguing presence,
Referencing trips abroad, in temples and on elephants,
If you don't think this is the best, don't press your musical luck —
who else do you know that has shot a music video on an animal with a trunk?
We had no oversized mammals, except maybe the pigeon man across the way,
who feeds flocks of birds and lets them perch on his windowsill all day.
But where personalities are concerned, Matthew takes the cake,
He's spiritual, gifted and unbelievably great.
The first time we heard him, we were instantly floored,
as he's one of those special performers who just...strikes a chord.
We've made a lot of discoveries while running this site,
but this one's so different, ages beyond just "all right".
His songs give me chills from beginning to end,
the multi-instrumentation, the melodies, I incessantly recommend.
We shot three sessions that day, and it all began with this one,
And the performance we had been anxiously awaiting was a total home run.
I want to swim in these songs as the sea, be surrounded for all time,
to float in its melodies would be simply divine.
Stunning — it's just stunning, and there's no more left to say,
we'll have the music speak for itself, and let Matthew take it away:

 MP3

Matthew Hemerlein - "Luminescent Braid (Big Ugly Yellow Couch session)"

Matthew Hemerlein - "Gyllenhaal Sandwich (Big Ugly Yellow Couch session)"

Matthew Hemerlein - "#88 (Big Ugly Yellow Couch session)"

///

website