Matt Ellis left Los Angeles in May 2019, relocating his family to the Hi-Desert of Southern California, one year before the Pandemic hit. "Desert Gold" is a postcard from his new home to the world. Realizing how lucky he was to be out of the big city, he recorded this homage to his new home at home, with band members recording remotely in Australia and L.A. creating a unique sound, for a strange time.

Mixed by fellow Hi-Dez resident, Nicolas Vernhes (War On Drugs, Spoon), “Desert Gold” is available everywhere now.

Desert Gold

“Coming Back” is the new single from Australian Singer/Songwriter, Matt Ellis. 

Out 07.07.23. Pre-Save at Spotify now - https://show.co/fhdmOss

Recorded remotely at the tail end of Covid, “Coming Back” is a celebration song, kicking off America’s Summer in true, classic rock spirit. It’s an uplifting track that kicks you in the gut before Ellis leans in with his distinctive low croon, congratulating the listener for “making it”. It has all the drive and swagger of “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers” with the pop sensibility of “Big Star” that begs the listener to hit play again and again.  

The idea for the song came in 2020 when Ellis was searching for some light in the world. “I thought, we’re going to get out of this soon enough, so let’s focus on that and write something positive, for the future”.  

The next few years would see Matt chipping away at the track, along with a swag of other tunes that hope to be released later this year and next.

Ellis recorded an arrangement to a rough drum sample at his home studio in the Mojave Desert, before sending the song down under to his mate, Andy Clockwise, who tracked Drums at his studio in Sydney. Dusty Bookatz and Joshua Norton picked up the song back in L.A., adding bass, lead guitars, and piano. Percussion was added by Denny Weston Jr at his home studio in 29 Palms, Ca before Ellis completed his vocals and guitar work back in the Hi-Dez. The finishing touches came with Tim Walker’s pedal steel, tracked at his home in Santa Clarita, Ca.  

Matt reconnected with longtime collaborator Craig Schumacher at WaveLab Studios in Tucson, Az for mixing. Craig is not only a celebrated Producer/Engineer (Neko Case, Calexico, Giant Sand), but he’s also teaching his skills to a small class of young engineers at The Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona. The track became a class project for the students, looking over Craig’s shoulder as he mixed the track in several remote sessions.  

Ellis recalls; “I’ve been “solo” for 23 years, but none of it would’ve been possible without constant collaboration with my longtime band and surrounding musicians and engineers. This track is proof of that, and having the students involved added even more of that synergetic energy, something I’m always seeking and encouraging.”  

“Coming Back” is out 07.07.23 on all streaming platforms.

CREDITS
Matt Ellis • Vocals & Electric Guitar
Joshua Norton • Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar & Piano
Dusty Bookatz • Bass
Tim Walker • Pedal Steel
Andy Kelly • Drums
Denny Weston Jr • Percussion

Mixed by Craig Schumacher
Mastered by J.J. Golden
Produced by Matt Ellis

Photo: J.D. Narro

Coming Back

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matt Ellis to Release New Single “Broken Mind” Inspired by Stewart Burton’s Novel “Number 4”

Joshua Tree, CA – September 24, 2024 — Acclaimed singer-songwriter Matt Ellis is set to release his latest single, “Broken Mind,” on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The track launches in tandem with “Number 4,” a powerful new novel by Stewart Burton, which serves as the inspiration behind the song.

“Number 4” is a gripping true story that follows Burton’s harrowing journey through heroin addiction and survival within the Chinese prison system of 1990s Hong Kong. Ellis and Burton, old friends from their high school days in Hong Kong, reconnected after many years when Burton reached out with an early draft of his book. Inspired by Burton’s raw and triumphant narrative, Ellis composed and produced “Broken Mind” as a musical companion to the story.

“It was a unique experience growing up in Hong Kong, and one I don’t take for granted,” said Ellis. “The book brought back a flood of memories that I was able to access and express through Stewart’s perspective. ‘Number 4’ is a classic underdog story, and I was there to witness some of these events firsthand, navigating my own teenage years while beginning to write and perform with my first band. It didn’t take much to step back into that time and into Stewart’s shoes for those 4 minutes and 45 seconds.”

Musically, “Broken Mind” is a throwback to the late ‘80s, evoking the sounds of bands that defined the era—The Clash, early U2, The Cult, and The Cure. Ellis captures the rebellious spirit of Hong Kong’s expat teenagers, who frequented iconic underage bars like “In-Place” in Tsim Sha Tsui and “Thingummys” in Lan Kwai Fong. The song’s raw, urgent sound is reminiscent of tracks spun by DJs or on jukeboxes in those legendary venues—a blend of defiance and vulnerability that resonates with the story it supports.

The track was recorded at Ellis’s home studio near Joshua Tree, California, with contributions from his backing band and guest musicians. To complete the project, Ellis collaborated with celebrated mix engineer and producer Adrian Hall (Tori Amos, Depeche Mode, Anna Calvi), who was also the drummer in Ellis’s high school band. “I’d been looking for a reason to work with Adrian for years, and this was the perfect opportunity to reunite and bring it full circle,” Ellis added.

Adding another layer of nostalgia, the single and book cover art were created by Martin Lever, an award-winning artist and fellow Island School alumnus who called Hong Kong home for over 40 years before relocating to the UK.

“Broken Mind” will be available on all major streaming platforms, while “Number 4” will be released as both an e-book and hardcover, available on Amazon and www.number04story.com. A portion of the proceeds from purchases made through www.number04story.com will be donated to Scottish Autism, supporting a cause close to the heart of this powerful collaboration.

For more information, please contact:
Matt Ellis - www.mattellis.com
Stewart Burton - www.number04story.com

Credits:
“Broken Mind”
Vocals & Electric and Acoustic Guitars - Matt Ellis
Lead Guitars & Backing Vocals - Joshua Norton
Guzheng - David Sait
Bass - Dustin Bookatz
Drums & Percussion - Denny Weston Jr

Written and Produced by Matt Ellis
Mixed by Adrian Hall
Mastered by J.J. Golden

Broken Mind

Matt Ellis' self-produced, fourth solo album features eleven new tracks and is arguably his best work to date. Songs from the album have already received airplay on over 40 radio stations across the US, a media placement (Andrew Zimmern), two award nods from the ISC, worldwide video rotation for the lead track "Heart of Mine", and glowing reviews from music blogs around the globe, all off the back of a soft, digital launch mid 2010.

Matt Ellis - Don't Let Me Forget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEW MATT ELLIS SINGLE, “NOT EVEN SPRINGSTEEN”, OUT 11/14/25

Matt Ellis releases searing new single, “Not Even Springsteen,” the first taste of his forthcoming seventh album.

Australian-born, California-based songwriter Matt Ellis returns with “Not Even Springsteen,” the first single from his forthcoming seventh studio album, and it’s a haunting, clear-eyed portrait of America’s political divide.

Recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Nicolas Vernhes (Spoon, The War on Drugs) at Rare Book Room in California’s High Desert, the song sees Ellis blending his signature folk-rock storytelling with social commentary that cuts deep.

Through character-driven lyrics and plainspoken poetry, Ellis examines the contradictions of modern America, where faith, fear, and nostalgia collide at the ballot box. The generational union man, single mother, and son of immigrants all find themselves misled and disillusioned. “They confused you with their fake news; not even Springsteen changed your mind,” Ellis sings, channeling both heartbreak and disbelief at a nation divided against itself.

“I was texting with a friend after the election results came in,” Ellis recalls. “Incredulous at the result, I half-joked, ‘Not even Springsteen changed their minds,’ an off-the-cuff comment that carried so much cultural weight, it became a defining lyric for the song and album in many ways.”

That off-the-cuff jab at MAGA was in reference to Bruce Springsteen’s PSA in the weeks leading up to the election. Never had we seen so many prominent artists come forward to support a presidential candidate, and it spoke volumes to the dire situation.

Tracked live in late summer 2024 with Matt Ellis on acoustic guitar and vocals, Denny Weston Jr. on drums, and Dustin Bookatz on bass, “Not Even Springsteen” captures the immediacy of a band locked in the moment. Additional guitars, mandolin, and melodica were added by Joshua Norton, while Ellis recorded his final vocals at his home studio just over the ridge from Rare Book Room.

The song’s bridge features guest vocals from friend and fellow Hi-Desert songwriter Karma (of Henry Ate), whose ethereal harmonies lend the closing lines a haunting echo—“Don’t it make you feel like a rebel / fighting the wrong side.”

Produced by Ellis and Vernhes and mastered by J.J. Golden, “Not Even Springsteen” will be released independently on November 14, 2025, and available on all major streaming platforms.

Follow Matt Ellis on Instagram for news on the upcoming album release.

Not Even Springsteen

Matt Ellis’ new Double A-Side Single, “Candy / Dangers of the Night” is now available on iTunes. The follow up to 2010′s “Births, Deaths & Marriages” features a cover of “Candy” the Iggy Pop hit off 1990′s “Brick By Brick”. Ellis has slowed the duet down, drenching it with pedal steel, fiddle and banjo, giving it an Americana swagger and making it one of his own. Matt’s wife, Vavine, joins him on the track performing the female vocals made famous by Kate Pierson on the original.

The B-Side, “Dangers Of The Night”, is a new original tune featuring returning guest, Jacob Valenzuela (Calexico) on trumpet. The upbeat desert rocker showcases Ellis’ storytelling, taking the listener on a wild ride with two characters that meet an untimely end.

Produced by Matt Ellis, the two tracks were recorded by Ronan Chris Murphy at Veneto West in Santa Monica and mixed by Craig Schumacher (“Births, Deaths…”) at WaveLab in Tucson, Az. The single was mastered by J.J. Golden.
 
Musician Credits:
Vocals & Acoustic Guitar: Matt Ellis
Drums & Percussion: Fernando Sanchez
Pedal Steel: Tim Walker
Electric Guitar: Josh Norton
Bass: Jon Ossman
Piano & Mellotron: Jonny Niemann
Fiddle: Ross Holms
Banjo: Matt Menefee
Trumpet: Jacob Valenzuela
 
* Matt Ellis plays a CORDOBA C7-CE

Matt Ellis - Dangers Of The Night

The Lonely One

Wake Me Up

The Bottom Line

If I Had A Hammer

The Kids Of America

Heading Home

The Lucky Ones

Matt Ellis is an Independent, Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter and Producer from Sydney, Australia. Based in the U.S. since 2005, he just released a new single, "Desert Gold".

Along with another world-changing event, 2020 also marked the 20th anniversary of Matt’s first solo release, “Peel”. Since 2000, Matt’s music has taken him across Australia, The United States, Canada, Hong Kong and Mexico sharing the stages with Calexico, Paul Kelly, DeVotchKa, Kasey Chambers, LeAnn Rimes and John Doe to name a few. Album guests have included Nels Cline, Greg Leisz and Merry Clayton and numerous tracks have been licensed by ABC, LMN, MTV, Qantas and The Food Network while receiving airplay on dozens of Radio Stations around the globe.

His latest album, “Rambler Pacifico” is a stream of folk-rock consciousness. A ramble of plain truths in a time of fake news. A collection of songs that speak to the times yet feel timeless. Recorded primarily in Ellis’ garage, the 11 songs kick and caress in equal parts. There is enough twang to remain in the Americana club, yet also a pop sensibility that calls to a wider audience.

 “RAMBLER PACIFICO IS AN AMERICANA TREASURE” 
- David McPherson - (Daily Ripple)

“ARTICULATE LYRICS AND TASTEFUL ROCK BACKING”
 - George Graham - (WVIA-FM)

“A DANDY WILD RIDE”
 - Chris Spector - (Midwest Record)

Matt Ellis

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