There are very few artists who can truly capture your attention like Matt Lorenz can. Going under the moniker so many of us have grown to know and love him by: The Suitcase Junket, the songwriter’s instrumental setup alone turns heads, and when he begins to play and sing that is when he truly grips you and you are forever in the throes in this man’s music and voice. The fire and fierceness in which he performs is undeniable and incredible. You can tell how much he loves to create and perform and with his unique music contraptions and his ability to adapt and forge sounds from what many would consider throwaways, he and his art are nothing sort of pure brilliance.

“Dying Star” is released today and a live version for the title track was released in video form yesterday to celebrate. I didn’t realize how much blues is infused into his sound, alongside so much else, until I was listening along. Lorenz has a voice that carries and traps you, but his abilities as a guitarist should never be overshadowed. He creates hooks with the melodical lines he plays on his beat up acoustic with such grace that they feel almost effortless, but the sound and space they create are infectious and groove in an amazing way. That should never be overlooked, no matter how engaging the percussive elements of his music is or how mindblowing that throat singing can be, this guy is a hell of a guitar player.

This record is going to be a good one and where “Make Time” landed high on my favorite things released in 2015, I think “Dying Star” is an early front runner for one of my favorites of the year already.

Check out the video and purchase the new 7 song EP from The Suitcase Junket right now!