The release of Matt Corby's debut album Telluric has critics asking: was it worth the wait?
It's been almost a decade since the singer came into the public spotlight on Australian Idol. He was 16 and already had a musical career behind him.
He was brilliant from the beginning. Judge Mark Holden proclaimed, arm in the air: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a potential Australian Idol", after his audition, where he sung Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition'.
He went on to claim second in the contest, and it seemed the next logical step would be to release an album. But he didn't.
Corby moved to London a couple of years later, releasing three EPs and playing numerous live shows. He recorded with artists like Seasick Steve and appeared on Julia Stone's debut album. And he began to do 'Secret Garden' gigs, performing intimate shows in regular folks' backyards.
In 2011 after spending some time writing, Corby released his fourth EP. It brought him commercial success. 'Into the Flame' was certified six times platinum in Australia in 2012. That year he also played a cover of The Black Keys' 'Lonely Boy' and an acoustic version of 'Brother' for Australian radio station Triple J. Both received a lot of online attention.
In 2013 Corby released the 'Resolution' single and EP. They also did well in the Australian charts. He kept on writing and touring, playing at festivals in Europe, including Glastonbury.
He went from strength to strength. In 2014 he recorded songs for the soundtrack of a surfing documentary -- doing so on his own, in his own home studio, layering all of the instruments and intricacies solo. It's hard not to compare the dude to Jeff Buckley -- both so patient, so able.
His first studio album hit the shelves, literally and technologically, a few days ago. The thing he's been surely crafting for almost a decade is here. A reflection of the world as he views it is complete and on sale, and people ask: was Telluric worth the wait?
Matt Corby is playing at the Auckland Town Hall on April 23.
Newshub.