This story is part of a series about arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, and the University Musical Society.
Ypsilanti-based folk ensemble Matt Jones and The Reconstruction will return Feb. 22 to The Ark, 316 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor, for the first time in over a decade to celebrate the release of their new album, “The Good Life.” Recorded in 2019 at Willis Sound in Willis, Mich., the album marks a deeply personal return to music after a long period of distance brought on by the pandemic.
“The album is a little strange to me,” says singer-songwriter Jones, who is also a music preservationist and oral historian. “We recorded the album pre-lockdown and then COVID hit, and I didn’t care about music during that time.”
He describes stepping away from songwriting and performance as the pandemic unfolded, navigating anxiety, depression, and a growing sense of disconnection from the music scene.
“It was easier for me to walk away from it for a while,” he says.
Releasing “The Good Life” now, Jones says, feels like a deliberate reentry into community. Rehearsals with The Reconstruction – musicians he describes as his closest friends – helped remind him why he makes music in the first place.
“This record sounds like friends, family,” Jones says. “These are my musical soulmates.”
Many of the songs on “The Good Life” were written during Donald Trump’s first term as president, and they reflect a period of anxiety, anger, and resistance. Jones says the record grapples with themes of injustice, bullying, and ostracization.
“There’s a part of me that’s always going to be outspoken and put a wrench in the spokes,” he says. “These songs definitely reflect that.”
Recorded mostly live in one room, the album carries an unpolished, communal feel that mirrors the relationships behind it.
“Most people don’t even find one musical soulmate,” Jones says. “I have 10, and they’re all in this band with me.”
Matt Jones and The Reconstruction will perform at The Ark on Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. More information and a link to purchase tickets can be found here. To hear more from the band, visit their Bandcamp page.
“If you’re at the show, we’re giving you everything we have,” Jones says. “And we’re giving it all to each other.”