Matt Benson releases debut album

Every artist has an origin story, but few start with a literal explosion. For Belfast-born Matt Benson, that’s exactly where the journey began, in the smoking ruins of a local music shop, where a battered trombone emerged from the wreckage and into his hands. From that unlikely spark, a lifelong devotion to music took hold, resulting in a path that would lead from dive bar gigs and ska punk grooves to Glastonbury stages and global tours.

Having spent years playing behind the scenes with acts like Bad Manners, The Pogues and Sam and The Womp, as well as holding down a slot in George Ezra’s touring band, Matt earned his stripes on the road. He’s seen both ends of the music spectrum, from sticky-floored backrooms to tour buses with tight brass sections.

Now, finally ready to tell his own story, he brings us Sit Back Down Again, a debut album dripping in soul, loss and late-night wanderings. “The trombone was the thread that wove around all of these stories,” he shares. “Writing this album has been the medicine I needed to heal myself.”

Produced alongside Cian Boylan, who’s known for his work with Jessie Buckley and David Gray and mixed by Grammy winner Ruadhri Cushnan, the album leans heavily into the traditions of New Orleans soul and vintage R&B. The brass-led arrangements with Matt’s ever-faithful trombone at the centre, wrap each track in a warm, cinematic haze but beneath the groove lies something far more intimate.

Set up by opening song “Rest Easy, Wake Happy,” Matt’s warm vocals carry picture painting lyrics above elegant piano backing as the rustle of brushed percussion and delicate brass textures form a stripped back outing. The album’s title track “Sit Back Down Again,” a heartfelt tribute to his sister Catherine who passed away at just 13, bravely faces memory, grief and hope head-on. Filtered through a mellow groove of soft, skanked guitar rhythms, shuffling drums and soulful vocal performance to deliver a memorable jam that frames a sombre theme in a bright soundscape.

Elsewhere, “The London Line” captures a fleeting barroom romance on the day he returned to Ireland after a decade in London, while “Glory” reflects on inherited wisdom, the kind passed between generations like heirlooms made of words. “Nancy and the Soldier” spins a romanticised version of his grandparents’ courtship, merging family folklore with a kind of sepia-toned storytelling that feels half-dream, half-truth.

Previously released single “Broken Masterpiece” uses the supernatural as a metaphor for internal chaos, while “Strangers and Angels” opens a window into fate and reunion. Even in its more playful moments, Sit Back Down Again never strays far from its emotional context. “I see all of its characters and stories so vividly in my mind. If people get anywhere close to how I see it, I’d be delighted.” From start to finish, Matt Benson channels his own life story and years of accomplished musical endeavour into a sensational first full-length release that’s sure to sin over fans around the world.

Listen to Sit Back Down Again below