''Matt Sharp'' is the self-titled debut from former

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...

bassist and

The Rentals The Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp. Sharp has been the only consistent member since the group's inception. The band's best selling single is "Friends of P" (1995). The Rentals released two albums, ''Return of t ...

frontman

Matt Sharp Matthew Kelly Sharp (born September 22, 1969) is an American songwriter and musician. Until 1998, he was the bassist for the alternative rock band Weezer, which he cofounded in 1992. He appears on their first two albums, the ''Weezer (Blue Album ...

. It was released in 2004 via

Boompa Records Boompa Records is a Canadian independent record label, founded in 2003 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. History Boompa Records (launched in September 2003) was established as a music production company by Rob Calder and Scott ...

. The album does not employ electric guitar, synths, or percussion. Lap steel, acoustic guitar, piano, and organ are the only accompaniment to Sharp's vocals. The album was recorded in

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

Critical reception

The ''

Detroit Metro Times The ''Detroit Metro Times'' is a progressive alternative weekly located in Detroit, Michigan. It is the largest circulating weekly newspaper in the metro Detroit area. History and content Supported entirely by advertising, it is distributed f ...

'' called it "plaintive music so utterly anguished yet hauntingly beautiful it’s almost too painful to listen to."

Track listing

References

2004 albums Matt Sharp albums {{2000s-folk-album-stub