Matt Joe Gow Breaks Down Every Track On New Album ‘Between Tonight & Tomorrow’

Between Tonight & Tomorrow is the new record from Melbourne-based, New Zealand-born musician Matt Joe Gow. The follow-up to the award-winning Break, Rattle And Roll, it is sonically a departure from its predecessor with raw, unvarnished production, and because of that has an undeniable directness and vulnerability.

From the prominent intro rattle of a guitar string on the southern swagger-bound Shipwreck through to the heartfelt alt. country rocker ’Til My Whole Heart Bursts’ it is clear that the raw production serves as the most direct delivery of what is Joe Gow’s most personal and introspective album.

Themes of reminiscence, perspective, death, and rebirth are all weighty subjects that Joe Gow approaches with a realism and vulnerability that perhaps come with the comfort and support of a dedicated fanbase, one he has built from years of touring, now four albums deep into his career.

We’re so delighted to bring you this exclusive track by track, as Matt Joe Gow talks us through each individual track: the creation, sentiment, and everything in between.

-----------------------

Shipwreck

Kicks off the album with some swagger and harks back to many of my southern rock influences. A stripped back approach sonically, that we wanted across the album, allows the listener to hear every instrument and voice clearly. Long time Dead Leaves member Katya Harrop joins me on vocals for this one, always a highlight to hear her singing with me.

Join our community with our FREE weekly newsletter

’Til My Whole Heart Bursts

A lyrical theme of rebirth runs through the album and is highlighted on this track. I recall this one was done in one take which I always love and suits the stripped-back production and urgency. It draws as much from the outlaw country of Johnny Cash as from the 90s alt-country of Drive-By Truckers in spirit and is lot of fun to play live. It was the live shows and the audience response to this song that drove the song to be a single from the album.

Between Tonight & Tomorrow

Between Tonight & Tomorrow offers insight into the isolation felt by many over recent years and serves as the centrepiece to the record. The song speaks of the irrational thoughts many of us suffer from when going through loss, or isolation. Hopefully the song brings comfort to listeners as it did for me in writing it.

“Sometimes I hear the phone at night, if I don’t answer, maybe it was you…”

Go Ahead, Celebrate

In the face of what appears to be a completely changed landscape for myself and much of society as whole post pandemic. Now, more than ever, I feel we need to celebrate the little things, the moments together, the wins.

"Like a jewel in a crown, young girl shine like midday sun”.

Like The Rains

The oldest song on the album. I wrote this one for my debut album, but it was at the time considered too dark to sit with the body of work. I’d always wanted the right time to revisit it and I felt we finally could do the song justice. Was a real trip down memory lane to revisit melodies and lyrics I wrote years ago and breathe new life into them.

Sweet Collapse

This was written as a sequel to my song Georgia Rose. The song mirrors its predecessor with an ‘old time’ feel, three-part harmonies, and Southern textures. It also expands on the journey I first sang about on my second album Seven Years; the life of a travelling songwriter, or ‘troubadour’. Now, seven years further down that path, I felt it was a good time to revisit the story.

NYJJ

I wrote this one for a friend, it was his story… The idea of going away mid-winter with someone, trying to fix something inside. The song is sad in ways, but I wanted to inject some of the swagger that kicked off the album. We went for a real loose stonesy feel, with a Keith & Ronnie esque interweaved guitar line. I feel there is a sweet character to it in its purity or even naivety.

We Are Born

The opening line references where I grew up in Dunedin, New Zealand, and the song once again touches on the themes of life, loss, death but in this one speaks of finding support in others, companionship, and community. Beautiful three-part harmonies once again from Dead Leaves Katya and Andy allow me to meander off down the melodic path towards the end.

“Down the road should you think of me, think of me here…”

Just This One

Just my voice, guitar, and harp on this one. As songwriters we often immortalise those who leave us, in song. Sometimes it can be hard to revisit that emotion on stage, night after night on tour. This song is a peace offering in regards to understanding that that is my usual cathartic process but makes mention that this time - it’s only happening just this once.