Scott Matthews – ‘Elusive’ (Island) Released 18/09/06

Courtesy of James Blunt, Jack Johnson and Paulo Nuntini high-pitched singer-songwriters have been branded ‘bad news’. They’ve been discarded as introverted self-satisfying cry-babies to the point where to describe oneself as a singer-songwriter will result in the kiss of career death. Each one may insist until they’ve facially turned a shade of the sky that they’re the new Nick Drake; usually they’re not. But we  would like to offer up Scott Matthews as a possibility for consideration. He’s about as Jeff Buckley/Elliot Smith/Rufus Wainwright as they come but has managed to be more than just a weak imitation. And for that he should be commended. ‘Elusive’ is a beautiful track.