Man About a Horse Archives - Bluegrass Today

Man About A Horse to Dark Shadow Recording

Nashville’s Dark Shadow Recording has announced the newest artist to join their label roster. It’s Man About A Horse, a contemporary bluegrass act from the Philadelphia region.

Like other young grassers from an urban background, their songs reflect influences from the pop music scene, with song topics more in keeping with their lived experiences than the mountains and cabins and home that figured so prominently in the first generation of our music. Their repertoire includes both band originals and carefully chosen covers, and they have found a large and loyal following through regular touring.

Label head Stephen Mougin, of the Sam Bush Band, speaks highly of his new charges, and says that he is eager to get to work with them on some new music.

“I’ve seen them live several times, starting with a great set at Grey Fox, and then had the privilege to have them join me for a band coaching session at the 2018 IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC. They are an exhilarating group of great pickers and singers searching for a new sound and discovering their own brand of music.

They are a wonderful addition to the Dark Shadow family and I can’t wait to get in the studio!”

Upon signing their new agreement, Mougin and Matt Royles of Man About A Horse created this brief video announcement.

Recording will begin this fall for a new project, with plans for a 2020 release.

The Horsey Boys, as their fans have dubbed them, are Royles on guitar, Matt Thomas on bass, Dan Whitener on banjo, Matthew Hiller on mandolin, and Eric Lee on fiddle.

Listen For That Good video from Man About A Horse

Philadelphia’s Man About A Horse has released a music video for their new single, Listen For That Good, produced by Alison Brown at Compass Records Studio, with financing support from the FreshGrass Foundation.

Written by MAAH guitarist Matt Royles and mandolinist Matthew Hiller, it tells of the need to keep an eye out for that silver lining, lest you miss something special right under your nose.

Royles, who also sings the lead vocal, tells us that they really felt that vibe heading down to Nashville in January to work with Alison.

“You might think that this is our response to Chris Jones’ call for positive bluegrass songs. But let the record reflect that we actually had this in the can before Chris wrote his article! Joking aside, this is most definitely a positive song. It’s all about finding the good in things—especially when it feels elusive. Maybe it reflects our celebratory mood after winning the FreshGrass Festival Band Award, and just feeling so fortunate to have this incredible opportunity to travel down to Nashville to record with Alison Brown. It’s important to celebrate those good times—they help sustain us when times get tough.”

The video finds the guys cutting the track, and clowning around in the studio, under the watchful eye – and with the low-tuned banjo – of Ms. Brown.

In addition to Royles and Hiller, Man About A Horse is Matt Thomas on bass, Daniel Whitener on banjo, and Eric Lee on fiddle. The video was shot and edited by Stacie Huckeba.

Listen For That Good will release as a single on March 8. It is available now to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

You Can Never Go Home Again video from Man About a Horse

Man About A Horse is a young quintet from Philadelphia who write and record original acoustic music in a bluegrass setting. They also seem to have a thing for literary references, judging by the title of their new video, You Can Never Go Home Again.

It’s one of the songs on their debut, self-titled album, independently released last week.

Have a look/listen…

The band consists of Matt Thomas on bass, Matt Royles on guitar, Dan Whitener on banjo, Elizabeth Carlson on fiddle, and Nate Lanzino on mandolin.

You can find out more about the band and their music by visiting them online.