Matt Mays & El Torpedo
Terminal Romance
Sonic Records 2008

In the interests of full disclosure, I have somewhat of a man crush on Matt Mays. I’ve worshiped the shaggy rocker throughout his musical career – both with and without backing band, El Torpedo – since I first heard single ‘Cocaine Cowgirl’ several years ago. I know all of the words to all of his songs, and of course am compelled to sing along whenever I hear them. I own every album, but have not yet managed to wear any of them out, despite quite frequent playing. I was lucky enough to Interview El Torpedo bassist Andy Patil for my high school newspaper, which was my first real journalistic experience. Basically, I have fond feelings all around for Matt and the guys in El Torpedo. All of my potential bias aside, their most recent endeavour, 2008’s Terminal Romance is perhaps their most interesting yet.

From opening Who-ish rock song Building A Boat, it’s easy to tell that Terminal Romance is a departure from previous Matt Mays & El Torpedo albums. TR presents listeners with a much more polished sound than any other recording in their catalogue. This can be attributed to three factors: The departure of original El Torpedo guitarist Jarrett Murphy, the arrival of his replacement, Jay Smith, and finally, the new album being produced by Chris Tsangarides [Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest]. The album sees a rise in synth and effects, while incorporating less steel guitar. Essentially the band has moved away from the country rock that defined their earlier style, and has entered into new territory, that being a collision of hard and poppy rock songs.

Older fans might have soft spots for songs Tall Trees and Long Since Gone, which are the only remnants of the band’s former sound. Those gems aside, Matt Mays & El Torpedo is at its best on fun loving boy-girl songs like Rock Ranger Record and Shining Eyes. The album is essentially built on these, with the exception of those two older sounding songs, and of course the title track. Terminal Romance – the song – is an unforgettable wall of sound; a bold, brilliant track, reminiscent of an eighties rock ballad. It is the centerpiece of the album. Digital Eyes and Laser Guided Love also deserve special mention as layered songs that get the listener even further into the album.

Ultimately, Terminal Romance is a tug of war between loving and leaving, all the while in a blur of light hearted, enjoyable rock and roll. The album provides for a reinvention of Matt Mays & El Torpedo’s sound; a sort of musical reincarnation that does not disappoint.