Human, or Matthew Human, is a grass-roots singer/songwriter whose backing band, The Human Revolution, consists of a revolving cast featuring seasoned musicians who have played for everyone from Willie Nelson and Crosby, Stills and Nash to Sheryl Crow and the Avett Brothers. He’s opened for Willie Nelson, produced nine albums (seven of his own) and won the 2007 Art of Heart Songwriting Contest (based in Wichita, Kansas) for “My Community.”
Now he resides in Nashville, where he continues to make grass-roots music he refers to as “mystic Americana,” which I interpret as meaning he writes, sings and plays in a style that mashes up a mess of American music that includes pop singer/songwriting, roots-rock, country/western music and folk. His latest album, Small Town, which features singer/songwriter Amae Love, was produced by himself and Peter Temple (who also plays bass on the record), and was recorded in Oregon and at Temple’s studio in California.
Small Town is an earthy, laid-back collection of 13 songs that sound like Human is having a really good day. It mixes mellow West-coast influence with country/western songwriting sensibilities as well as a good ear for commercial pop. There are emotionally charged love songs (“You Comfort Me,” “Love Song,” “You’ve Got to Love Her”), a call for peace (“Military Song”), friendly agenda pushers (“Food for Life”) and songs about just being happy (“Sunny Day,” “Plenty to Share”).
The album blatantly relays Human’s message, which is one of green living, and of course, peace and love—and I can’t be a dick and say that some of this album fringes on corny when it was very obviously written from a place of sincerity. The message is a positive one; Human likes to share, whether it’s love, home brew, food or a helping hand. One of Small Town’s songs, “Food for Life,” was even inspired by the international aid work by the organization of the same name, and he further promotes living green and simply in “The Farm” and “Plenty to Share.”
He alternates between paying homage to, and wanting to separate from, small-town living. In the title track, Human expresses a love/hate relationship with the lifestyle, reminiscing about Whiskey nights and tea with friends, and plenty of Good Medicine to go around, while chorusing with Someone get me outta here I have to go. There are also beautiful fiddle parts from Maesyn Strite, especially on “Shelter From the Rain” and vocal parts from a featured singer called Freedom on the anti-war song “Military Song.” There are a lot of messages packed into Small Town for a record so grass-roots, all based upon loving your neighbor, resisting the bad and embracing the good.
For more on Human, visit thehumanrevolution.org
