Presidente Pride on This City's Colours
by
Stephen Emery
This collection could be construed as Vancouver singer songwriter and keyboardist Matthew Presidente's darkest and proudest portrayal of his home city and his openly gay life; and those of the friend's and community around him. The blood spattered rainbow has a story behind it, a gaybashing which was committed right in front of the patio that Matthew and his friends were celebrating his raucous performance at East Side Pride just hours before. This was to be the first of a half a dozen high profile gay bashings in Western Canada over the next year with one man left brain injured and the first hate crimes convictions to be enforced in this region.
So the vibrant rainbow flag and the hordes of happy bar patrons -of all walks of life and sexual orientations- who rocked weekly at Numbers Cabaret to Matthew's usual songs of love, lust, beer, boyz, and rambunctiousness are now confronted with the darker jazz/blue guitar strains of Hazen Rice and the powerful soul-searing harmonies of Kacie Wallace as Matthew now ponders the WTFs of modern gay life in a bustling post-Olympic city.
On This City's Colours Matthew dives into the shades between the rainbow and the disillusionment that the pot of gold - the promises of being out and happy - may still yet be unattainable; even an illusion. At least as temporal and temporary as the appearance of a rainbow itself. The lyrics of this collection, question, provoke, and prod as Matty's writing and art enters into a coming of age not seen in his early work (though there is plenty of coming out and shades of proud defiance even therein).
Do not get the impression that this is a thoroughly dark work by a man who can cover Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb live with the same beauty and chill as his influences. There is almost no song brighter and more hopeful than Rainbow Reaction; a tune that could well become a gay anthem of Pride within it's own right if enough people hear it and see the soon-to-be-released video. Why Why Why is a tribute to Matthew's partner "my man James" and the years of commuting on the BC Ferries from Mainland to Vancouver Island that he underwent to solidify his relationship. There is no lack of hope on this disc, just a profound introspection to round out Matty's art.
Yet, after witnessing the bashing, the author of the vampy riff of "This City's Dogs" has to ask a very important question for a young and growing city such as Vancouver - do you feel safe? Should we feel safe? And the frustration behind This City's Colours is a tribute to such a beautiful city where we "feel so alive" and yet still have to hear about the stains of violence in the idyllic West End where, in the age of gay marriage legalisation in Canada, queers are supposed to be strong and free, but are not free from violence and death.
The production values of this work, an astounding testimonial to how careful home studio production can sound, are both conventional in form and experimental in delivery. What makes this album work so well is that Matthew Presidente knows both how to write a solid hook sound completely original while paying homage to his wide range of musical influences.
With this song collection, another important theme has newly emerged - the anthems of We Are Family and the idea of LGBT as one united family where "we will survive" may still be present - but the reality that there is strife within the community as it matures and integrates, that a relationship between a bomb and an ocean of two male psyches has to be navigated carefully, and that not all is well in the "scene" is unapologetically thrown out there for all to hear. Such is the sign of a thoughtful and coming of age work that is Matthew Presidente's This City's Colours.
Stephen Emery - Beyond the Ghetto / Within the Village Videocast
