Matt Hogan’s new single “Turning Tables” will not only get your head bopping but it’ll also have you contemplating the course of your life. The song dropped on June 2nd, accompanied by a music video produced by videographer Ethan Jaeger that depicts Hogan playing a game of chess with himself–a fitting metaphor for the pensive nature of the subject matter. Hogan self-produced the song and played all the instruments besides the drums, which were played by Adam McLaren, the drummer of his band Patch Road.
The track opens with a pleasant instrumental intro driven by an acoustic guitar and embellished by an atmospheric synth. Hogan’s resonant and commanding baritone vocals enter: “Youth will leave you thinking / You’ve a choice or two / If you’re bold and brave / If you plan and save / The future’s up to you.” In the first minute of the song, two verses ruminate on being at a critical juncture in one’s life. As we all come to know, contrary to what we may have expected when we were younger, life does not move in a straight, upward trajectory–rather, it twists and turns amid an inconsistent series of dips and peaks. It can be difficult to find your footing and commit to one direction or another. Hogan sings, “Well I thought that I had solved it all last year / Rode it like a beautiful wave / Now I find I’m back at the crossroads, hiding / Making those same mistakes…”–the music quickly cuts, and Hogan concedes, “I thought I figured it out.”
The drums kick in and we’re up and running. Soaring leads played on an Irish tin whistle introduce tinges of Hogan’s traditional folk roots, elevating the mood of the song along with the tempo. While the song begins in a wistful state, it suddenly becomes uplifting–the tides shift and carry us aloft. Hogan muses, “Thought that I had mended the break / Now I find I’m back to my old ways, learning / Life don’t work that way / There’s always something.” Not only has the vibe pivoted sonically, but the sentiment of the lyrics seems to adapt, marking the difference between short-term knowledge and long-term wisdom. The phrase, “The more I learn, the less I know,” comes to mind. We learn from our mistakes–or at least we strive to in order that our mistakes were not made in vain.
The track builds up to a satisfying payoff when the chorus hits: “I’m turning tables round / I’ll flip it upside down / I know I’m stronger now / I’ll turn the tables.” At the outset of the song, we were caught in the haphazard whirlwind of life, but now we’re taking the reins and claiming agency over our own life. We rejoice as the tin whistle chimes back in, in tandem with a tasteful guitar solo that takes us home. Instruments fall away, leaving just the tin whistle and drums, and we’re left with a sense that life isn’t something that just happens to us, but rather something that we can have a say in–something that we can mold to our liking, if only we shift our perspective.
Matt Hogan’s social and streaming links:
Check out the music video for “Turning Tables”:
-Review written by James Kwapisz
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