Compelling, melancholy indie-folk artist Phosphorescent performs at The Current
by Bill DeVille, Peter Valelly and Phosphorescent
April 16, 2013
Phosphorescent is the stage name of singer-songwriter Matthew Houck. An Alabama native who cut his teeth on the famed Athens, Ga. music scene, Houck plays melancholy and beautiful indie-folk in the same vein as Bonnie Prince Billie and others. He started his career in the early 2000s with a couple of small-scale releases, and first saw his profile begin to rise when he signed to the prominent indie label Dead Oceans to release his third full-length, 2007's Pride.
He's remained on Dead Oceans ever since, steadily perfecting his haunting lyricism on albums like 2009's To Willie and 2010's Here's to Taking It Easy. He just put out a new record, Muchacho, that's been heralded as his best work by tastemaking outfits like Pitchfork and is poised to be another major breakthrough for him.
Houck stopped by the studio last weekend and recorded a performance in the studio before his sold-out gig at St. Paul's Turf Club. Houck and Bill DeVille discussed his trip to Mexico to hone his songs, the difficulties that precipitated the new album, his evolution since his early work and how he got started playing music. Enjoy this performance from a compelling and underappreciated indie-folk voice.
Songs played: "Terror In The Canyons," "A New Anhedonia" and "Down To Go."
