Matt Kik’s Artist Page is Here
Hailing from Sheffield, Matt Kik released his self-titled solo debut, Eponymous, on 15 August 2025, offering twelve guitar-driven tracks that span more than 25 years. The album features songs he started writing in 2000 and continued to work on right up to the present day. With his band, Storm of Crows, currently on hold following the release of their Twenty-Five Years album, Matt decided to gather together songs that had lived with him for decades and shape them into a full album. What makes this record so impressive is that it feels both personal and carefully assembled, as if each track found its place exactly when the time was right.
I’ve known Matt for many years, so listening to “Smarter Than This” naturally carries a personal dimension for me. But beyond that connection, what really matters is that the music stands on its own. As a bassist myself, I’m always drawn to the low end and to the way a song’s rhythm section holds everything together, and that is something I truly appreciate here. A compact, tight rhythm section can make all the difference, and this record understands that perfectly.
What struck me immediately was the guitar riff that runs through the entire song. It is not only the track’s main musical thread but also the element that gives it its real power. The riff stays present from beginning to end, almost like a pulse that holds everything together, and that is exactly why the song hit me so strongly. It creates momentum, tension, and consistency at the same time, and it connects perfectly with the lyrics’ reflection on routine and the desire to break free from it.
“Smarter Than This” is especially effective in the way it builds around that central figure. The repetition gives the song a sense of insistence, almost mirroring the daily grind between home and work that the lyrics describe. At the same time, the arrangement never feels stuck; instead, it keeps moving forward with purpose. That balance between repetition and development is one of the things I like most about it.
The guitar solo is short, but it adds a lovely touch of character, with a slightly Spanish feel that gives the song some extra colour without distracting from its core. I like it when a solo does exactly what the song needs and no more, and that is very much the case here. It feels like a small gem placed exactly where it should be.
The closing lines — “We only get one chance to sing our song / Only one life, it’s not really that long / Smarter than this / I’m gonna be smarter than this” — leave me with a real sense of hope. They suggest that it is never too late to step out of routine and try to become a better version of ourselves. That message resonates with me not only as a listener but also as someone who cares deeply about music as a way of leaving something behind that lasts.
For me, that is part of what makes this song and the album around it so meaningful. “Smarter Than This” stands out on Eponymous for its strong songwriting, clear musical identity, and message that feels honest and genuine.
This review was submitted by fellow NAS artist: PortobelloExpress
Their artist page can be found Here
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