Matt Berry continues jazz exploration with "Everything's Peachy"

Matt Berry's new jazz album "Everything's Peachy" – out today via Acid Jazz – was partly inspired by the unauthorized 2018 flight of Richard "Beebo" Russell.   

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The brilliant first album from the Matt Berry Trio is released Friday (June 26), the second instalment of the Jazz Sessions series. Alongside the standard black LP and CD, there is a strictly limited edition green colour vinyl edition, available only from Acid Jazz Records. Get it right here. 

Matt takes a break from his songwriting-led productions to lead an instrumental trio (joined impressively by Graham Mann and Phil Scragg) on ‘Everything’s Peachy’.

The album explores jazz, instrumental and electronic influences, drawing from later Miles Davis and Erik Satie across a remarkable 12-track suite, inspired by the maiden (and only) flight of Richard ‘Beebo’ Russell back in 2018. 

Some may recall reading about Russell was a 28-year-old ground service agent who made international headlines for swiping a Horizon Air twin-engine Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma Airport. Despite having no formal flight training, Russell took the 76-seater on a crazy joy ride which involved various death-defying aerial maneuvers, boastfully confiding to the air traffic controller "I've played a few video games, so ya know I know what I'm doin' a little bit." 

After flying around the snow-capped peak of Mount Rainier, he quipped, "everything's peachy." You can read Tim Dickinson's story for Rolling Stone on Richard 'Beebo' Russell's unauthorized flight right here. Listen to Everything's Peachy Pt. 8 and Pt. 12 below. Get a black vinyl copy or a digital version of the album from Bandcamp right here. 

Just in time for Christmas... Matt Berry's Witchazel vinyl repress

Matt Berry's 2011 debut recording Witchazel – prized by Laszlo Cravensworth fans – will be recirculated by Acid Jazz Records on December 12th.

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A coal-black vinyl repressing of Matt Berry's 'Witchazel' is being released on December 12th via Acid Jazz Records.

Matt Berry’s debut album on Acid Jazz and the start of his now-15 year relationship with the label. It is of course the home of the fantastic 'Take My Hand’ - known the world over at the theme to the BAFTA Award winning TV show Toast Of London.

Last year the track became a surprise internet sensation, and all remaining physical copies of the album were hoovered up. Which is a shame, because the album’s Wicker Man-inspired folk funk is a marvel, and gives us the roadmap for Matt’s continued success.

Acid Jazz will start shipping a new black vinyl edition of the album on December 12th. This will not be available to general distribution until early 2026. 

Pre-order it directly from Acid Jazz right here. Listen to "Take My Hand" below. 

Matt Berry's new album "Heard Noises" is out Friday

Matt Berry aka 'Laszlo Cravensworth' from What We Do In The Shadows has a swingin' new selection of tunes called "Heard Noises" out Friday. 

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Following the huge acclaim of Matt Berry’s 2021 album The Blue Elephant (“A sonic odyssey” – Uncut) – as well as last year’s one-off album of library music collaboration with the KPM label (“another string to Berry’s impressive bow” – Prog magazine) – we present Heard Noises, Matt’s eighth studio album with Acid Jazz, out Friday (January 24). Get a copy on limited edition psychedelic swirl vinyl, sky blue vinyl, soft-pack CD or cassette via Bandcamp right here. Sadly the 8-track cartridge version is already sold out.  

Out now, lead single ‘I Gotta Limit’ finds Matt trading lines with Kitty Liv (Kitty, Daisy and Lewis) as a man after a second chance with a woman impatient with his pleading. With a song structure inspired by Sly Stone, in a little over three minutes ‘I Gotta Limit’ crams in a plethora of musical ideas on an instantly catchy song which is part Northern Soul, part psych.

In contrast to The Blue Elephant’s dizzying trip through an idiosyncratic love of British psych, freakbeat, acid rock and late ‘60s pop, Heard Noises finds Matt heading for a looser, Californian psychedelia through his love of the trippier sounds of space pop and rock, and his ear for a haunting melody.

Once again, the album is testament to Matt’s exceptional musicianship, production skills and songwriting prowess. Almost every instrument is played by Matt including guitars, bass, a variety of keyboards (acoustic and Wurlitzer pianos), synthesizers and organs (including Moogs, Vox, Farfisa, Gibson, Eminent organs) and Mellotron.

He is joined by long-time collaborator, neo-prog drummer Craig Blundell, and guests including Pokerface’s Natasha Lyonne and back with Matt is The Shins/Fruit Bats’ Eric D. Johnson (acoustic guitar, autoharp and backing vocals on ‘Why On Fire?’, ‘To Live For What Once Was’ and ‘Snakes That Slide’), Phil Scraggs (lap steel guitar on ‘To Live For What Once Was’ and ‘Snakes That Slide’), Rosie McDermott (vocals on ‘Sky High’) and the S. Club 60s Choir (featuring Matt’s mum).

In many ways Heard Noises could be considered the perfect distillation of the extraordinary breadth of musical ideas across Matt’s albums to date. Listen to "Wedding Photo Stranger" and "I Gotta Limit" followed by a What's In My Bag? segment. 

Matt Berry discusses some of his fave British records and more

Matt Berry – aka Laszlo Cravensworth on What We Do In The Shadows – talks about his favourite UK LPs, hits Amoeba and chats with Tom Scharpling.