MATT HILL

MATT HILL 'RETURN OF THE IDLE DRONES'  
LABEL : Quiet Loner Records   |    RELEASE DATE : October 1st 2021

"Collection of 'live in the studio' modern protest songs, conceived as a sequel to 2012 album Greedy Magicians"

Recorded in two days by Matt Hill and long time associate James Youngjohns (Last Harbour, Willard Grant Conspiracy) this album is the sound of two musicians sat two metres apart, as they rip through the songs as if they were playing a concert. 

That's because this project was conceived as a live album, a sequel to ‘Greedy Magicians’, Hill’s 2012 collection of live protest songs. ‘Return of the Idle Drones’, covers similar ground with a mix of political comment and social history. Recorded inside a Victorian Mill in the historic Ancoats district of Manchester the energy and subtlety of the sessions has been expertly captured by Adam Gorman of The Travelling Band. 

“My original plan was to do this as a ‘10 years on’ project recorded in front of a live audience in the same venue, with the same musicians.” says Hill, “Sadly the pandemic scuppered that so we did it as a ‘live in the studio’ album with just me and James. It allowed us a bit more freedom and I've tried to channel some broader musical influences here, such as Randy Newman, Scott Walker or Glen Campbell. ” 

The original Greedy Magicians album was a turning point for Hill, sending him on a path to becoming a full time artist. That album got critical acclaim (10/10 Americana UK, 5/5 Maverick), led to a Glastonbury appearance with Billy Bragg and eventually to Hill becoming Songwriter-in- Residence in a museum. 

There are songs here about the past and the present. Strike is about the Match Women’s strike of 1888 whilst Talking it out is about today's billionaires, oligarchs and the super-rich. Aside from social comment there are personal stories too – the middle aged person struggling to work whilst chronically ill (Times are getting tough) or the soldier and his wife trying to settle back to normality in post-war Britain (Making sense of the war). 

With his signature blend of social history, storytelling, humour and wordplay, Hill has crafted another compelling collection of modern day protest songs.

ABOUT MATT HILL

Matt Hill is a storytelling singer-songwriter who offers a British take on americana/folk. Since his debut as 'Quiet Loner' in 2004 he’s toured extensively across the UK and Europe. Career highs include a Glastonbury songwriters circle with Billy Bragg and Amanda Palmer, radio play on BBC6 Music and in 2004 and 2010 UK Americana chart number one albums. 

More recently his work as a community artist has included a year long songwriting residency in a museum, several album co-written with people at a homeless project and a stint as musician-in-residence in a prison. 

PREVIOUS PRESS 

Very, very special. AMERICANA UK 10/10
I was knocked sideways. Possibly the most important record of the year MAVERICK ★★★★★
Delicate songwriting. Bleakly beautiful. UNCUT ★★★★
An incredibly talented writer. An absolute gem MORNING STAR ALBUM OF THE YEAR
If Matt Hill never writes or sings another song ever again he can die a happy man for creating this masterpiece. ROCKING MAGPIE