In 1996, European and Australian audiences packed venues to witness the birth of a new talent. He was hardly known by name then, but Matt O'Donnell quickly made waves with his clever sounds and won praise of music critics worldwide. It was that clever sound, which Joe Henry and US indie band COME recognized when they chose O'Donnell as their support act. His versatility as an artist lets him cross traditional boundaries to appeal to a wide audience. Critics have compared him to Elvis Costello, Ed Kuepper, and even Crowded House's Neil Finn. Like those greats, O'Donnell has tracked across the lines of traditional sounds to create a paradox within a style. O'Donnell's tunes - hard-edged yet tender, cynical and optimistic, lush yet raw - were conceived in a metropolis and recorded against the backdrop and solace of a rural setting.