Matt Costa returns October 2 with Unfamiliar Faces, his follow-up to 2006’s Songs We Sing. Just 25, the intense Costa locked himself his his bedroom to write the new record, and in the spring of 2007, teamed up with Songs We Sing’s producer, No Doubt’s Tom Dumont, to begin recording the newie.

“Being around Tom, it was easy to have all these feelings flow naturally. One of the first things he told me to do was to stop practicing and just let it come out – it was like the light went on in my head,” says Costa. “The more you learn about something, you still might not fully understand it, but at the same time that’s what keeps it fresh – that’s the key to music.”

More info after the jump!

MATT COSTA COMPLETES UNFAMILIAR FACES

Follow Up to 2006’s Songs We Sing Arrives October 2, 2007

“…the music widely veers between folk delicacy and a disturbing
edginess. His songs carry a smartly introspective quality that one
tends to associate with performers who have been doing this awhile” –
Los Angeles Times

“…the moment Costa started playing, it was with such effortless mastery
of harmony and melody [and] you had to just put down your Absolut
Kurant and think what the f***, who is this kid…Costa’s music is
tailor-made for an audience that would give its right nut to hear Nick
Drake one last time…” – Fader

“Costa is a rare songwriter who believes what he says and speaks his
heart.” – Relix

July 23, 2007 – On his 2006 debut Songs We Sing, Matt Costa established
his reputation as a performer, wrapping introspective lyrics in
textured melodies and creating a sound that was at once a throwback to
another musical time while remaining thoroughly modern. With the
October 2nd, 2007 release of Unfamiliar Faces, his second on Jack
Johnson’s Brushfire Records, Costa mines his imagination once again,
crafting an ambitious collection of songs that explore themes of love,
loss and fear. From the piano-driven opener “Mr. Pitiful” to the
title-track, Unfamiliar Faces traverses musical styles drawing on
elements of pop, country, folk and rock resulting in an effortlessly
intoxicating musical experience.

Even for the fully initiated, Matt Costa is an enigma – a 25 year old,
former skateboarder whose words and music recall some of the great
troubadours of our time. Costa credits his diverse musical palette to
the freedom and improvisation he experienced skating. “Any instrument
that allows you the freedom to be creative, whether it be a skateboard
or a canvas, it’s all a tangible way of discovering yourself,” says
Costa.

After a life-changing accident left him in an 18-month recovery period,
Costa dove head first into music, finding solace in the creative
process. His music made its way through the vibrant SoCal arts scene
and into the hands of No Doubt’s Tom Dumont, who mentored Costa and
produced Songs We Sing.

When Costa sat down to write what would become Unfamiliar Faces, he
locked himself in his Sacramento bedroom with some of his most
treasured belongings and let inspiration take over, absorbing stories
and memories from his possessions which included his favorite books, a
wooden pipe and a box of old 45’s among others. In the spring of 2007,
Costa re-teamed with Dumont to record the album.

“Being around Tom, it was easy to have all these feelings flow
naturally. One of the first things he told me to do was to stop
practicing and just let it come out – it was like the light went on in
my head,” says Costa. “The more you learn about something, you still
might not fully understand it, but at the same time that’s what keeps
it fresh – that’s the key to music.”

With Songs We Sing, Matt Costa earned a reputation as one of music’s
most buzzed-about emerging artists – crisscrossing the country with
long-time supporter Jack Johnson, performing at music festivals like
Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza and headlining his own tours,
which featured The 88, Elvis Perkins and The Watson Twins as openers.
With the upcoming release of Unfamiliar Faces, Costa solidifies his
place as one of music’s most compelling artists – one whose sound
belies his years and effortlessly captures the heart of his audience.

For more information please check out www.mattcosta.com or
www.myspace.com/mattcostamusic.