EGG YEAH: THIN LEAR releases new album "Wooden Cave"

We’re finally able to fully step into the depths of Wooden Cave, Thin Lear’s debut full length album, available everywhere now. The album received a 9/10 review from PopMatters, who called it “one of the best, if not the best albums of this year,” praising Thin Lear’s “wistful indie pop” and “chamber pop perfection in the highest order.” 

“Wooden Cave -- easily one of the best, if not the best album of this horrifying year so far -- does what so many of the best albums do. It creates a unique artistic statement that's a pleasure to hear from start to finish but includes plenty of ugly truths and harsh realities. Matt Longo isn't immune to the horrors of the world, but he knows how to wrap them up in gorgeous, lush, sophisticated songs.”

Chris Ingalls, PopMatters (9/10)

About the album:

Wooden Cave includes the singles “Maniacs,” that American Songwriter described as “immensely satisfying," the beautiful “Death in a Field,” which Earmilk called “intimate and dreamy” and “as tasteful as indie rock gets,” as well as “A Simple Phrase,” which GoldFlakePaint defined as, “suitably rich,” and his latest release, the upbeat “Behold You Now.” Then of course there’s the title track “Wooden Cave,” which displays intricately placed vocals that flow alongside strings and piano to narrate the story of a loner; a story more prominent than ever in modern society. As Thin Lear describes, “It’s a song against people who weaponize their loneliness, turn it into rage, and point it outward.”

The overarching theme of Wooden Cave is one of isolation and self-exploration. Longo studied 1920’s occultist Netta Fornario and her mysterious story, her life on a tiny island off of Scotland. He found himself dreaming of her on a consistent basis, often waking with a fleeting image of the woman. Though they’ve experienced very different lives, Longo felt an immediate empathy for her, and recognized her story as that of an artist. Much of the resulting album was inspired by this connection. The album creates an alternate reality to showcase the mentality of an outcast - a "loner on the edge" as he calls it. 

Over the course of the quarantine, Longo’s been performing on various livestreams, including a previously filmed session for BreakThru Radio, and performed for The Wild Honey Pie’s “Buzzsessions” with a cover of Donovan’s “To Sing For You” and a beautiful rendition of his own song “Different Tune.” The Buzzsesion will be available on DSPS August 14, pre-save here. Today, at 4:30pm EST, he’ll host an album release livestream with EggHunt Records, simultaneously on both Instagrams (@thinlear, @egghuntrecords). Then on July 28 at 5:00pm EST, Thin Lear is scheduled for a performance on Bandsintown via Twitch. RSVP here. 

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"A warm, rich, and intimate chamber-pop album that revolves around life, love, death and dreams.“

Jen Dan, The Big Takeover

 "Almost lullaby-like in its simplicity, [“A Simple Phrase”] begins with a gentle sigh and barely raises its temperature much from there, Longo’s voice accompanied by a soft strum, a grand piano, and a subtle string-quartet backdrop which quietly illuminates the whole piece."

Tom Johnson, GoldFlakePaint

“At once hard to describe, but easy to grab onto…immensely satisfying. Thin Lear is extremely thoughtful in its combining of the five elements of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, tone color, and form.”

Kira Grunenberg, American Songwriter

“An enigmatic cross between Belle and Sebastian, Wilco, and Ben Folds…a master of his craft…as tasteful as indie rock gets.”

Zachary Keirstead, Earmilk

“The recordings are rich with unique musical nuance, conjuring up the insular worlds of Astral Weeks-era Van Morrison, Tim Buckley, and Shuggie Otis.”

Mike Olinger, The Vinyl District

"His voice washes over you like a lullaby. It’s an honest portrait of a moment in time, punctuated by the content we lean into to make peace with the turbulence."

Corinne Osnos, The Wild Honey Pie