Local Music Spotlight: Matt Mitchell Music Co.’s ‘Captive’ is relaxed, easy and unforced

What makes a record feel like it belongs to the Pacific Northwest? It could be the subject matter (“Send Me Down Saint Helens” certainly fits the bill) or sound or the art, image and aura that surround it. Or all of these things, as is the case with Matt Mitchell Music Co.’s latest album, “Captive of the Mind.”

But in spite of its PNW roots, the record achieves a wonderful, independent power; the satisfying songwriting, nearly bare acoustic playing and pensiveness of the album stand on their own, comfortably. “Everything just felt relaxed and easy and unforced,” Mitchell said of the recording process. And it’s not a bad way to describe the result.

Beginning with “Captive of the Mind,” the title track, Mitchell opens up a world of thoughts: “the acoustic, introspective side of things,” he described. But he wouldn’t say much more than that in spite of the album’s abundant imagery. “I try to keep those themes open to interpretation. People can digest them how they see fit.”

With the opening track, though, it’s not so difficult to see the track Mitchell is trying to put you on: “You make it hurt and you can make it sting / You can do yourself a favor playin’ make believe / Just another captive of the mind,” he sings. “That’s a song I wrote about just being stuck in your own head,” he said.

“Captive of the Mind” is backed by a flowy acoustic guitar line, mandolin and background vocals. Through the record’s 27 minutes of song, that palette won’t change much. But the upside of such brevity is that you are far from tired of Mitchell’s delicate acoustic touch and folksy voice by the end. More likely, you’re left wanting more.

The process in making “Captive of the Mind” was a big change for Mitchell, who has previously worked with the much-larger local band Trego. As a solo project, he was able to expedite the recording process and have songs tracked and ready to go much earlier.

“You feel that sort of kinetic energy with the songs,” he said of the quicker schedule. “You feel excited about them, you feel the emotions of the songs, and if you take too long to record them, they start to feel a little stale or clinical. That’s a huge part of it, trying to get my recording process up to speed with my songwriting process.”

If anything was rushed in the making of this record, it doesn’t show. The sequencing is clever, winding the listener through thought-provoking and more sensation-driven songs with ease, tackling subjects such as time, self-concept and the power of nature.

“This is a good one to wrestle with your thoughts,” Mitchell said. He also added that it felt like “being out on the road, enjoying life amid the uncertainty.” But if anything, “Captive of the Mind” is a little retreat from the uncertainty of the world and into the pleasant uncertainty of the mind. It has a peaceful relationship with that uncertain world, an accepting one.

Though he seems to set himself up for a career in wonderful folk music, Mitchell plans to follow up “Captive of the Mind” as soon as possible with a much more rock-oriented record. With so many live shows planned at a diverse set of venues, he wants to draw out the mood of the room with a repertoire as diverse as the cities he plays.

Expect to hear more about that record this summer, but for now, as we begin to look toward the thaw of spring, let “Captive of the Mind” be the soundtrack to your days. Matt Mitchell Music Co.’s “Captive of the Mind” is out now on all streaming platforms. More: Instagram @MattMitchellMusicCo and mattmitchellmusico.com.

Julien A. Luebbers can be reached at julien.luebbers@gmail.com.