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Paul Mateki
So Strong |
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Paul was born in Leeds, England and began singing at an early age in the church choir. After emigrating with his parents to the United States in 1965, he quickly learned how to play the guitar and was soon doing local gigs with his first paying group "The Front Page". The band covered such notable bands of the time like the Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys, Guess Who etc. These groups, along with established country artists like George Jones, Don Williams and Hank Williams and contemporary artist Dan Fogelberg formed the basis of the music Paul performs and writes today. Since going solo, Paul has become aware of the ever increasing market for country music in Europe, and now spends much of his time touring there.
As an award-winning songwriter and performer, Paul also helps to produce
and arrange the albums he records, along with doing all of his own
harmonies and rhythm guitar work. Paul can be found performing around
the state of Texas quite regularly and out of state when the right
occasion arises. "So Strong" is Paul's 4th album, following the success of previous releases, "Paul Mateki," "Temperatures Rising" and "Across The Miles." 10 out of the 12 tracks on here are either written or co-written by Paul. First of the exceptions is the excellent "Sedona," written by U.K singer/songwriter Martin Moss The track is very much in the style of Robert Earl Keen and also see's Martin.........who sounds incredibly like the aforementioned R. E. K.............providing duet vocals. The other guest songwriter on here is Brendan Patchell, who provides the lively "Don't Be A Fool" a rockin' track that is sure to be popular with the dancers. The album is dedicated to Helen, the love in Paul's life, and it shows in songs like the mid paced "So Strong," "Write It In Your Heart" a slow ballad co-written with Rhonnie Scheurman that professes everlating love, the country/rocker, "Watch How I'm Listening" also a Rhonnie Scheurman co-write and "Walking In Her Light" a song that Paul say's is his favourite track on the album. Paul also sings about an ex wife and a marriage that didn't work out, in "Dead Horses," a co-write with Darryl Harrelson, that is sure to get the linedancers on the floor. Other tracks on the album include the honky tonking, "Something This Guy Won't Do," and "Nothing Looks The Same" a very catchy song that has him looking back over his years growing up. "Only
Time Will Tell"
is a song written about a band he met and played with in Austria.
"Red Side Of Town" tells of
the seedier side of Holland and "Harvest
Time In Heaven" is a catchy tune with one of those repetative
chorus' that stick in your head. There isn't one bad track on this fine album from Paul Mateki, a man who has a voice I can only describe as being somewhere between Randy Van Warmer and Cliff Richard. He also demonstrates that he is a pretty good songwriter too, on an album enhanced with some fine picking from the musician's on the session. Before this review, I had only heard of Paul Mateki through a release of one of his earl;ier tracks on a compilation, but after listening to this album, I will certainly look forward to hearing a lot more from this talented ex Brit who has made Texas his home for the last 35 years. As I write this review (September 2000), Paul is currently the #1 most played artist in the World Wide Mainstrean and Mainstream/Major charts Check
out Paul's website and find out how you can get hold of a copy.
Website www.paulmateki.com |
