Matt Costa

Not many people can say they’ve supported both mellow-surf king Jack Johnson and indie-rock stalwarts Built to Spill, Lou Barlow and Pinback, but then Matt Costa is not your average singer/songwriter. The skateboarder-turned-tunesmith channels the kind of timeless sound first laid down by Donovan and Van Morrison, and the tracks on his debut full-length Songs We Sing cut across the board, appealing to a wide range of listeners. The uncategorizable album’s influences range from ragtime to pop, psychedelia and country, capturing something universal through Matt’s appealing melodies and surefooted lyrics. The Huntington Beach native got his first break when No Doubt’s Tom Dumont heard some demos Matt had recorded himself. Dumont helped the 23-year-old record a 5-song EP that eventually led to the recording of Songs We Sing, along with tours with Johnson, Barlow and Pinback. Onstage, Matt has earned an ever-growing fanbase in North America and Europe through his relaxed approach, his confident guitar-playing (honed during recovery from a skateboarding accident three years ago) and his ability to create what OC Weekly calls “a remarkable camp-fire sing-along atmosphere” ... more...