Hailing from Virginia and growing up near Washington, D.C., Matt Rouch has now landed in Denver, CO and is diligently working his way into the music scene. Now with his self-released album, “The Beautiful and the Damned” and his new band, Matt Rouch & The Noise Upstairs, this 4-piece alt-country folk group is one of Denver’s fastest up and coming bands, with mentions in Music Connection Magazine, Denver Post, Marquee Magazine, Scene Magazine, and Axs.
Matt Rouch & The Noise Upstairs combines the Rouch’s iconic songwriting and guitar-play with violinist Alex Fostar, bassist Stu Garney, drummer Ricky Brewer, and vocalist Allegra Michael. Together, the band is already turning heads in the Colorado area and beyond.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with singer/songwriter Matt Rouch about his latest project, influences, motivations and more.
Full Q&A along with streams and links below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I’m from Virginia originally, but have lived in Denver for the last 2 years. The band and I create alternative-country indie-folk music. I’m mainly folk-influenced so I try to write honest songs that reflect the range of emotions found in that genre.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
The reason I am playing the music I’m playing now is due The Decemberists. I found them as a teenager and was completely blown away by Colin Meloy’s songwriting, then I got into more modern folk acts like Iron & Wine and The Milk Carton Kids. I’m also influenced by old country starts like Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. Motivation is a tricky thing, obviously all musicians are motivated to write, play, perform, but these days the business side of things and the amount of rejection you face really does make it difficult for musicians. I try to focus on the positive things we’ve accomplished and try not to let others get me down.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
For my new single, “Adelaide” I wanted to do a stripped down folk song with a strong emphasis on the lyrics and melody. There wasn’t a specific goal for this single, I just wanted to put out something different than what I’ve been hearing.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
The digital age is certainly a double-edged sword, on one hand, there are a multitude of music outlets, streaming services, etc. where you can easily get your music out there, on the other hand, the market is over-saturated with bands and music outlets that it’s very tough to be heard above the noise.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
The band’s website is www.mattrouch.com, you can stream our first album and download our new single for free. You can also find us on Spotify and Pandora.
Anything else before we sign off?
Thanks for having me on, keep up the good work!
