Written in a period of significant life change – namely, a move back to his native Toledo – To Dream Of Something Wicked and Mat Kerekes altering his unflinchingly honest songwriting through the lens of bittersweet nostalgia. The familiar locale of his hometown helped him settle back into a place of comfort, inviting some trusted voices into the process: Kerekes’ uncle added guitar, bass and melodica, while his brother Chris was a key songwriting partner. While 2023’s You Look Like A Stranger took a more maximalist, production-rich approach, Something Wicked strips back Kerekes’ craft to its bare essentials, elevating the visceral emotions at the heart of his songwriting.
The full-circle process ultimately leaves Something Wicked as an intimate scrapbook of memories from Kerekes’ own life and those of his loved ones, with dynamic pacing and whimsical instrumentation swirling to create a thematic portrait of an artist at a crossroads, exploring the introspection and reflection of a life lived and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
1. My Lonely Ghost
2. Figure Eights
3. Made Of Wax
4. Morningstar
5. Always Right
6. Navy Blue
7. Motorbike
8. I Think I Saw You On The TV
9. I Always Knew You Were Someone I Could Look Up To
10. Evergreen
11. Along The Way
12. Nice To Mice
