COLOUR FILM RELEASES HALF AN HOUR, First album in six years from Matthew de Zoete’s alt-folk project is a pre-pandemic time capsule
Colour Film — the alt-folk project that serves as the pseudonym of Hamilton, Ontario singer-songwriter Matthew de Zoete — releases Half An Hour, along with a new video for “Saturday Night Somewhere Else.” Half An Hour is available now on all digital platforms and via Bandcamp.
Matthew de Zoete’s fondness for preserving unique moments has been a foundational part of his music since he arrived on the Canadian scene in 2006, first under his own name and then as Colour Film since 2016. His songwriting has been widely praised for its atmospheric blend of folk and pop, with his lyrics capturing those emotions that, once experienced, remain in our consciousness to help guide us through our lives.
That approach has taken on a deeper meaning with Half An Hour, recorded just prior to the pandemic in January 2020, and delayed following an injury de Zoete suffered that almost derailed his music career completely. Now having partially recovered, de Zoete is ready to share Half An Hour and revisit a time that already feels like another life.
Half An Hour was produced by de Zoete’s longtime collaborator Les Cooper and features stellar contributions from vocalist Kori Pop—who accompanies de Zoete on all tracks—along with backing from Cooper, Christine Bougie, and Dan Rodrigues.
The intimacy they achieved within the studio is embedded on each of Half An Hour’s 10 songs, allowing de Zoete to, on one hand, delve into his personal dark corners and on the other hand use his powers of observation to express striking moments of clarity.
Exploring everyday life is something de Zoete has learned from his primary songwriting heroes, from Ray Davies and Randy Newman to more contemporary artists like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, whose unfettered style played a big part in shaping the sound of Half An Hour.
He says, “When writing, I try to find a space between letting a song come to me and working to track it down. Call it being actively open or receptive with a focus. It doesn’t always work, but I think it did with this batch of songs. I wouldn’t say there is any explicit theme, other than an honest exploration of life—the details on the surface and the larger currents below.”
Colour Film / Half An Hour album release tour
May 2 (Thurs) :: Toronto ON :: Burdock
May 10 (Fri) :: Kitchener ON :: The Yeti Cafe
May 11 (Sat) :: Guelph ON :: Upbeat Guitar Studio
May 30 (Thurs) :: London ON :: Richmond Tavern
June 21 (Fri) :: Smiths Falls ON :: Bowie’s
June 22 (Sat) :: Kemptville ON :: Street Piano Series
Ticket info and updates at colourfilm.ca/shows