Matt Grandbois’s Daring Debut 'Somewhere, Probably' Is A Beautiful Reckoning
- Curious For Music Team
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Matt Grandbois’s Somewhere, Probably doesn’t just mark a debut—it marks a spiritual arrival.
Somewhere, Probably is a diary, a revelation, a soft-spoken triumph. The Massachusetts-born, D.C.-based artist crafts a deeply intimate sonic journal that effortlessly fuses indie vulnerability with pop sensibility and a hint of jazz sophistication. Every note on this album sounds like it was wrestled from silence, as though the songs had been waiting years to be sung. There’s nothing casual here; this is music made from necessity.
Opening with “Moving On,” Grandbois sets a tone of aching transition. There’s a stark beauty in the way he sings about seeing someone he loved with another—devastated, yet somehow at peace. As the album unfolds, we’re pulled into the depths of personal reckonings, identity questions, and unspoken affection. “Someone Else” is a highlight—written in the solitude of his new life in Washington, D.C., it captures the blur of nightlife masking the clarity of an undeniable emotional truth. The arrangement is minimal but atmospheric, letting his lyrical honesty carry the emotional load.
What’s striking is how unified the record feels, despite the songs spanning nearly a decade of writing. “Distinction,” written six years ago, feels as relevant and emotionally immediate as the more recent “Ordinary Face.” That’s Grandbois’s strength: he doesn’t date his emotions. Whether it’s grief, longing, or hope, he treats each feeling with care, giving it the space it deserves. “Live Like Paige,” a tribute to a lost friend, could easily veer into sentimentality, but he keeps it grounded—choosing celebration over sorrow, courage over cliché.
There’s a poetic duality in Matt’s journey—metalhead roots blending with jazz harmonies, orchestral textures meshed with singer-songwriter earnestness. His vocals, reminiscent of Jason Mraz’s warmth but with deeper emotional stakes, guide the listener through themes of self-acceptance, identity, and the pursuit of real love. “Better Days” and “Love Will Find Me” feel like spiritual siblings—two anthems about rooting oneself in connection rather than escape. They shimmer with optimism, not because they deny the darkness, but because they’ve survived it.
Matt Grandbois has delivered something special with Somewhere, Probably—an album that doesn’t seek spectacle but finds strength in silence, stillness, and soul-searching. In a music landscape often dominated by artifice, this record is a call back to authenticity, and it does so without ever losing its melodic allure. It’s a gentle revolution, and Matt Grandbois has just begun to roar.
