Aqualung

Having studied classical music as a teen, Matt Hales occasionally adorns Aqualung's sparse, forlorn pop with lush orchestral arrangements, giving his minimalist work maximum emotional impact. "Brighter Than Sunshine," "If I Fall" and "Left Behind" are some of the moody gems on this stellar release.

Matt Hales, the former child prodigy behind Aqualung, boasts major vocal, instrumental and
compositional chops on his American debut, a combination of remixes and tracks from his
two U.K. albums. Uniting Radiohead-ish British rock and symphonic pop in the masterly
mold of Burt Bacharach, the Beatles and the Beach Boys, tenor Hales delivers keenly
focused keyboard-based drama that blows away all pretenders trailing in Coldpl... More >