On Everything’s Fine, Matt Corby wants you to relax and take it slow

With Everything’s Fine, Matt Corby has swapped out, for the most part, the luscious sweeping strings of 2018’s Rainbow Valley, and has opted for a sound that relaxes rather than reminisces – much akin to his debut Telluric. Gone are the romantic, heart-wrenching moments of “Miracle Love,” and instead come understated and hearty instrumentations along with lyrics and melodies that are best whispered, not shouted.

That’s not to say that the ‘old’ Matt Corby isn’t gone, though. “Big Smoke” still gives way to the sweeping sounds you’d hear on Rainbow Valley as Corby urges the listener to take time for themselves in the busy world we live in – “There’s nothing wrong with sitting in the thick of it / When it’s all done won’t you be rid of it?” This theme of taking a step back and reflecting is a common theme through the album, and the titular track “Everything’s Fine” even closes off the record with a similar message “Cool down everything’s fine / What you got to worry about?” In a world of post-pandemic stress, global political strains and workforce burnout, Matt Corby is here to tell you to stop, take a minute, and stop sweating the small stuff.

Corby’s lyric writing on this record often delves into the realm of poetry. “Mainies” is a gorgeous, three-stanza piece of writing, accompanied by just an acoustic guitar, a muted drum-machine loop, and a cello. His writing shines as the track swells and modulates, before leaving the listener surrounded by sounds of nature for the closing 25 seconds. His ability to create a world in which to hear his music is incredible, with tracks like “For Real” achieving similar heights with its choral arrangements and carefully placed synth bursts.

Album standout “Reelin’” sees Corby at his most carefree – even with its lyrics consisting of existential rhetorical questions, the track’s arrangement does nothing but soothe and ease you into its laid-back beat. This is picked up and pushed further on both “Lover” and “Problems,” and it’s refreshing to hear Corby take on a more upbeat and assertive sound. However, this is best achieved on “Words I Say,” where we’re presented with all of the above – laid-back vibes, beautiful instrumentation, and lyrics that urge the listener to see the forest for the trees – “Will I ever act on the words I say? / Will I ever wake up to see that day? / There’s a part of me that don’t want to change / But how am I gonna stay high, if I’m a bird that don’t want to fly.”