Co-written with Golden Guitar winner Lachlan Bryan, ‘Diamond Mine’ is the first single from alt-country singer-songwriter Mat Black’s debut LP “Trucker Hats & Heart Attacks”. Drawing heavily on a deep connection with Southern Rock and that ‘dirt-in-your-ears’ sound, the song is a gritty account of the oft-faced disappointments associated with the music world.
“I blew in late last night… my heart was heavy and my pockets light.”
The opening line of the track conjures images of disappointment and the fact that the singer’s chosen path in life is, more often than not, not a lucrative one. The song goes on to list a number of sacrifices that artists make when trying to reach their goals – or find that treasure at the end of all the hard work.
“There must be sixteen different ways to say, that you ain’t gonna buy today”
Sometimes all we need is a ‘thanks but no thanks’ from media, venues, labels, peers…. instead the repeated silences can weigh us down after a while. Yet we head back time and again to the ‘Diamond Mine’ that is trying to ‘make it’ in the music industry. Dirty guitars and a screaming harmonica solo punctuate this track, giving it a definite country-rock feel. This is a song for lovers of Neil Young, Steve Earle and Drive-By Truckers.
The single will be released June 29 on all major platforms, with a Melbourne launch show booked in for the same afternoon at The Old Bar, Fitzroy with special guests Duncan Phillips and Katie Bates. Entry is free, music kicks off from 2.30pm.
“Trucker Hats & Heart Attacks” will be released September 13.