Review: Matt Berry trades laughs for melodies with new album Phantom Birds

: by Joe Sharratt; in Reviews; on 24 September 2020

You’ll almost certainly know Matt Berry from his comedy. He’s widely known for his performances in a huge list of shows including The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, and The Mighty Boosh, as well as for co-creating and starring in the acclaimed Channel 4 comedy Toast of London, for which he won the 2015 BAFTA Award for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme.

Berry also wrote all the music for Toast of London, as well as the music for fellow comedian Steve Coogan’s comedy Saxondale, and AD/BC: A Rock Opera. These details reveal something of Berry’s other great talent. Over the last fifteen years, he has released six studio albums across a range of genres and won a loyal following of fans.

Phantom Birds is his newest release, and it finds him loosely in indie-folk territory, albeit with a healthy dose of Americana on the side. The overall feel is laid-back and incredibly accomplished. This isn’t simply a comedian dabbling in a sideline; this album shows that Berry is very clearly an accomplished singer and songwriter in his own right.

Opening track Something In My Eye also shows his ability as a lyricist. It’s an incredibly honest and emotive song, with a haunting introspection that comes through as Berry sings: “You said ‘jump’ / I asked ‘how high?’ / Cool your jets / Just something in my eye / But here I am / Grown / I’ve come so far / Alone”.

You Danced All Night feels distinctly Bob Dylan influenced, while Man Of Doom is a complex track mixing different elements and tempos in style. Take A Bow is a compelling affair with a higher pace, while That Yellow Bird is a slower track, but one with a real haunting beauty to it that makes perfect use of additional string elements to add texture.

It’s an odd feeling recognising Berry’s voice from his TV work, but he’s clearly demonstrated here that it’s still more than worth listening to in this format.

Phantom Birds tracklist:

1. Something In My Eye

2. You Danced All Night

3. Phantom Birds

4. Moonlight Flit

5. Man Of Doom

6. Where’s My Love?

7. Take A Bow

8. Intermission

9. Hail To The King

10. In My Mind

11. That Yellow Bird