Canadian singer-songwriter Matthew Barber’s 2008 album, Ghost Notes, is the perfect summation of Barber’s talent.

Throughout Ghost Notes your ears are gently serenaded to Matt’s voice, which is soft and crisp all at the same time. The album starts with what I believe is its best song: Easily Bruised – a lovely drifting melody.

You could pick up Ghost Notes in any decade and it would fit in – its timeless melodies just make you feel instantly comfortable with it. It’s one of those albums that you find in your record collection years later and smile at, remember what you were doing when you first heard it, before confirming your first instincts to put it on for another listen.

Other songs that you’ll be interested in are Settle My Accounts With You, You and Me and Our Voices – the latter of which I think Barber could have done a whole lot more with (and maybe does when he sings it live??).

The album is quite stripped back and this is something that maybe makes the music and lyrics much more meaningful, but I’d love to hear something more anthem-ic from Matt - I definitely think he has it in him. An artist with his voice should have a big orchestra behind him and try to deliver something comparable to that of David Gray or Damien Rice.

Matt has posted some videos of Easily Bruised and Settle My Accounts With You on his blog that you should check out.

Key Tracks: Easily Bruised, You and Me, Our Voices

Track Listing

1. Easily Bruised
2. And You Give
3. (I’m Gonna) Settle My Accounts With You
4. You and Me
5. Modern Woman
6. One Little Piece of My Love
7. Where the River Bends
8. Sleep Please Come to Me
9. Somebody Sometime
10. Our voices