“Hood” was the first time I sat down with the intention to write a pop song. It was gently suggested that I make a “single” for the second record and I was fueled by that idea. I didn’t have a lot of experience creating something with the knowledge that other people would hear it. I had never been in a studio or written with one in mind, so it was fun for me to map out a song with the intention of it eventually having real drums and a big, official sound.
I love that this was my idea of a big pop moment. I suppose it was though, it did become the single and the most popular song from that record. When I brought it to the studio and my friend Eric Corson came in with the drums I thought it sounded HUGE. I was like “Matador is going to shit their PANTS this is so HEAVY”
I still feel it’s impact when I play it. I was in a very good place when I wrote it, but very raw. I didn’t know how to be in a good place, I didn’t trust it or think I deserved to be there. But I was dedicated to staying because I was in love. That is what the song is about. Everyone has some version of that feeling, that conflict. I ended up staying too, which is a happy ending, but I still get a heartache from a lot of my songs because I never really shake their feelings no matter how long I stick around.
P.S The mp3 file is 500kb. How did I even do that? Haunted.
Hood (demo)