Matthew Szlachetka, ‘Heart of My Hometown’ Music Video [Exclusive Premiere]
Americana artist Matthew Szlachetka is debuting the music video for "Heart of My Hometown," his latest single, on The Boot. The song combines crisp vocals, hard-edged guitars and rhythmic production to create a track that somehow seems classic and innovative at the very same time, and its accompanying video is a perfect homage to the indelible mark our homes leave on us, both in life and in music.
"Heart of My Hometown" showcases Szlachetka's storytelling lyrics, guitar prowess and vocals that sound raw and polished in the same breath. The artist draws on Americana influences, rock-country qualities and even a few pop tendencies to craft a song that's rooted in folk and country music, yet raised to new lyrical, musical and even emotional heights.
"Can you feel it? I can feel it / Restless bones aching for a change / I can hear it, I can hear it / Whispers softly pulling me away / I can't fight it, can never fight it / Haunted like the house that once built me," sings Szlachetka with a perfectly wavering voice over rebounding melodies, leading into the chorus. "Farewell to the love forged in this ground / Farewell, don't look back, just make 'em proud / No matter where I go, can't let go to the heart of my hometown."
If the song itself, written by Szlachetka and fellow artist Jamie Kent, creates instant feelings of both nostalgia and excitement for the future, the music video for "Heart of My Hometown" only serves to add to the delightfully paradoxical nature of the track. Trading off between clips of small-town life and footage of Szlachetka and his band recording and performing, the video will make viewers ache for the past while wondering at what's to come.
Based in Los Angeles, Szlachetka has been making music for over a decade, both as the frontman for acclaimed roots-rock band the Northstar Session, with which he released five albums, and as a solo artist. After leaving the Northstar Session in 2013, Szlachetka's struck out on his own and released his 2014 solo debut album, Waits for a Storm to Find. He's now preparing his sophomore album, Heart of My Hometown, set for release in early 2017. Fans can find more information on Szlachetka, his new album and tour dates on his official website.