Phonograph frontman Matt Welsh has been a lot of things: a stand-up comedian, head of sales for a fashion company and a mainstay at New York music gear shop Main Drag. But his own music is his main pursuit, and he’d like to make it a part of his life forever.
“We’re going to try to make records when we’re 50 years old. This is just the start,” the 29-year-old songwriter says. And the roots-rock ensemble is well on its way to making that dream happen.
Earlier this month, the band made its debut on NPR’s “World Café,” a perfect audience for its guitar-driven, intricately arranged songs. Previously, the five-piece has opened for Wilco and the Allman Brothers, along with playing at the Newport Folk Festival. Independent releases include last October’s “Hiawatha Talking Machine” EP, and the group has garnered airplay on triple-A stations like WXRT Chicago.
Phonograph has honed its musical expertise by building its own studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where the group is recording its next full-length album with help from Welsh’s “mecca” of gear.
