Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: The Mattson 2

The Mattson 2 | Photo by Eric Schuman for WXPN

We’re joined for this Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session by a pair of identical twin brothers who made their IRHP debut just over one year ago.
The Mattson 2, featuring guitarist Jared and drummer Jonathan, joined us last spring along with Toro Y Moi’s Chaz Bear, for an in-studio performance of songs from their 2017 collaboration, Star Stuff. Flash forward and the Mattsons are back out on the road, this time on their own. Bringing peerless instrumental chops and omnivorous musical influences and inspirations, The Mattson 2 stopped by before their sold out show with Khruangbin at Underground Arts for this session. Despite the overflow of sounds, I can assure you that there are just two people performing!

The session begins with a cover of “Pursuance,” from the Mattsons’ newly released full-length reimagining of John Coltrane’s landmark A Love Supreme. Next is a Mattson original from their 2010 album, Feeling Hands. “Mexican Synth,” like many Mattson compositions, features a blend of styles, including surf, funk and jazz. Next is a medley of songs from the Mattsons’ first album of 2018, Vaults of Eternity: Japan, a collection of tributes to the brothers’ favorite Japanese composers. Haruomi Hosono‘s lilting “Coral Reef” is blended seamlessly into Ryuichi Sakamoto‘s tropical “Tibetan Dance.” Last is another Mattson original, “Meluninary,” whose rousing conclusion with Jared joining Jonathan behind the kit makes it an easy choice for a showstopping finale (both in this session and in their live concerts).

Listen to the Mattson 2’s Indie Rock Hit Parade session below, and check out some photos from the studio (and one from their set at Underground Arts that night):