Frontier Ruckus Frontman Matthew Milia's Melancholic Solo Album, Alone at St. Hugo
Photo Credit: Noah Morrison
Singer songwriter Matthew Milia has gained notoriety as one of today’s best indie-folk lyricists, his penmanship as lead singer and guitarist of alternative-folk group Frontier Ruckus helping earn the band international acclaim. With this, it comes as no surprise that the haunting level of beauty and nostalgia is just as present— if not more so— in his upcoming solo album. Set to drop on May 3rd, the album is preceded by the release of singles “Puncture” and “Congratulations Honey.”
Recorded in a small Ypsilanti, Michigan room on a Tascam 388 reel-to-reel machine, Alone at St. Hugo is filled with a tangible nostalgia formed by the richness and warmth that only the presence of a pedal steel guitar, mandolin, cello and an array of horns can create. Both “Puncture” and “Congratulations Honey” capture this bittersweet melancholia that Milia is so well known for. Throw in his vocal prowess and the end result is a raw, unfiltered softness reminiscent of Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.
Alone at St. Hugo— named after the Catholic K-8 school Milia attended— is an ode to past days and memories stemming from his personal experience growing up in Detroit, MI. The album cover is a collage of 35mm photos from his youth, as is the lyric video for “Puncture.” The music video for “Congratulations Honey” was filmed in Milia’s hometown and features his old childhood stomping grounds. Milia explains, “For the video, among a lot of other important places to me, we captured shots of my mother throwing a strike in the local bowling alley, my fiancée’s dad eating a Coney dog in his Red Wings sweatshirt at his favorite Coney Island, footage of the legendary Pontiac Silverdome a month before its ultimate demolition, and the spot where I go fishing in the summer on the Detroit River by the Ambassador Bridge.”
Though “Puncture” and “Congratulations Honey” are only a sample of what’s to come, they create a nostalgic permanence that most can relate to, one of summertime childhood fun spent running through sprinklers or slow dancing with a high school homecoming date. They are songs that emit an intimate emotional sunshine, each line detailing America’s suburbia with a wry sense of humor.
To celebrate the release of his debut solo album, Milia will be performing an album release show at The Loving Touch in Ferndale, MI on May 3rd. The show will include support from special guest Anna Burch. In addition, Milia will be playing at a few select locations over the spring and summer time, with additional dates to be announced.
Tour Dates
May 3 | Ferndale, MI The Loving Touch w/ Anna Burch
May 14 | New York, NY Mercury Lounge
May 31 | Chicago, IL Sleeping Village
June 15 | Indianapolis, IN Square Cat Vinyl
June 16 | Newport, KY Southgate Revival House
