Matt Stansberry & The Romance

I was able to catch Matt Stansberry’s latest music project perform live at the 2013 Festival of the Arts. It’s easily one of the most entertaining sets I’ve seen in quite a while. A huge sound, brass players, backup singers and Matt’s Chuck Berry sensibilities made for a stunning concert experience. More than anything, the band is doing something big and brave. Thumbs up for doing something different. I dig in abundance. - Nathan Poppe, videographer and documenter

I was able to catch Matt Stansberry’s latest music project perform live at the 2013 Festival of the Arts. It’s easily one of the most entertaining sets I’ve seen in quite a while. A huge sound, brass players, backup singers and Matt’s Chuck Berry sensibilities made for a stunning concert experience. More than anything, the band is doing something big and brave. Thumbs up for doing something different. I dig in abundance. - Nathan Poppe, videographer and documenter

It's true I'm partial to a fella in a shirt and tie, but there is far much more to Matt Stansberry & The Romance than just looking good whilst suited and booted. Their sparkling, infectious single "Brighten It Up" is just one of the delights from the 7 track EP they just released of the same name (download here ~ personally I suggest tipping $7 (£4.63 if you are UK based like me!) as each song is definitely worth a buck). What the fellas do - and do oh so well - is pay loving tribute to the handclap joy of 50s rockabilly pop, mix in some sunshine soul from the Motown era then blend it all together to provide something that is a little bit magical and still sounds utterly contemporary. Seeing as I love a bit of modern pop with a reverent respect for the trailblazers from yesteryear, this is manna from musical heaven for me. The song itself is saturated with joyous soulful backing vocals, Stax-esque horns, spirit lifting lyrics and an exuberant lead vocal from the chappie himself, giving you a little taste of sunshine in 3 minutes and 49 seconds. The handclapping beat sets a sprightly pace & the textured layering of each instrument, note and vocal ensures that The Romance is just as important as the frontman himself; it truly is a collective effort & this shines through from the first few seconds right on to the last bar. There's also a focus on melody, with at least 3 hooks running throughout the song. It's song craft at it's finest - building something that is timeless, classic and current. And oh, that middle 8 is a rollicking future game of Guitar Hero just waiting to happen! It's all a bit like some magnificent updated version of the title song from the brilliant (yet woefully underrated) 90s movie That Thing You Do - and as it comes with a gloriously charming accompanying video, I just want more more more. If it is this exhilarating as a studio performance, one can only dream of what it would be like live. Here's to finding out soon... - My Fizzy Pop (UK Blog)

It's true I'm partial to a fella in a shirt and tie, but there is far much more to Matt Stansberry & The Romance than just looking good whilst suited and booted. Their sparkling, infectious single "Brighten It Up" is just one of the delights from the 7 track EP they just released of the same name (download here ~ personally I suggest tipping $7 (£4.63 if you are UK based like me!) as each song is definitely worth a buck). What the fellas do - and do oh so well - is pay loving tribute to the handclap joy of 50s rockabilly pop, mix in some sunshine soul from the Motown era then blend it all together to provide something that is a little bit magical and still sounds utterly contemporary. Seeing as I love a bit of modern pop with a reverent respect for the trailblazers from yesteryear, this is manna from musical heaven for me. The song itself is saturated with joyous soulful backing vocals, Stax-esque horns, spirit lifting lyrics and an exuberant lead vocal from the chappie himself, giving you a little taste of sunshine in 3 minutes and 49 seconds. The handclapping beat sets a sprightly pace & the textured layering of each instrument, note and vocal ensures that The Romance is just as important as the frontman himself; it truly is a collective effort & this shines through from the first few seconds right on to the last bar. There's also a focus on melody, with at least 3 hooks running throughout the song. It's song craft at it's finest - building something that is timeless, classic and current. And oh, that middle 8 is a rollicking future game of Guitar Hero just waiting to happen! It's all a bit like some magnificent updated version of the title song from the brilliant (yet woefully underrated) 90s movie That Thing You Do - and as it comes with a gloriously charming accompanying video, I just want more more more. If it is this exhilarating as a studio performance, one can only dream of what it would be like live. Here's to finding out soon... - My Fizzy Pop (UK Blog)

“The title track bridges the gap between ’50s pop and soul, beaming like sunshine with a good amount of shimmy. “She’s Got It” is similarly infectious. Other offerings play more like straight soul — “Tonight” and “In Your Arms” recalls what contemporaries like Mayer Hawthorne and Fitz and the Tantrums are doing.” - Oklahoma Gazette

“A ten-piece homage to 1950s and 60s soul and blues that is an energetic, electric and absolutely earth-quaking musical assault. This is a big time sound from a big time band. Look for big things from Matt Stansberry & The Romance.” - JiveWired

The Matt Stansberry Band will place “Hall of Giants” their new album on the shelves February 10.

Matt Stansberry sings and plays the guitar, Denver Greene plays the bass and Ben Tinius plays the drums.

“I always kind of knew what I wanted to do even before coming to school but it helped me solidify what I wanted to do,” Stansberry said. “I met the other guys here and in a way it helped form our career.”

All band members are former members of summer singers, where they met and formed their band

“Summer singers brought our group together and Dean Neil Arter helped in this process because of the support that he gave to the summer singers,” Tinius said. “Matt has always had the ambition to have his own music.”

Arter recognized potential when all three were students involved in Summer Singers, but continues to see their growth as musicians now.

“Summer Singers was a good start but I think this combination was just meant to be.” Arter said. “I think that the quality of the individuals is another thing that makes the music great.”

Stansberry grew up as a part of a musical family here in Edmond and credits his family with influencing his career choice. He has a liberal arts degree which he says has also influenced his music. He says that the jazz ensemble and art classes in particular have had an impact on the music that his band now creates.

“Being in a jazz band challenged me in new ways to play the guitar,” Stansberry said.

The type of music that the Matt Stansberry band performs is referred to as evolution rock. Evolution rock while staying true to rock roots also incorporates many other styles of music into the rock format, such as jazz, funk, pop, and jam. They are using the influence from these other types of music to create something new and exciting.

“The Matt Stansberry Band has a style and sound that is clearly their own, and is part of what makes them successful. Sometimes you hear music that is interesting but this music is inspiring,” Arter said.

Russell Moore has been listening to the band for about a year now. He first became aware of the band from the summer singers and was impressed with Stansberry’s ability on the guitar.

“I really like their music and when you go to their show they are open and willing to get to know the people. That’s what really gets my attention even more,” Moore said.

To celebrate the completion of the new CD, the band will be throwing a CD release party at the Bricktown Brewery in Oklahoma City on February 10. The name of this new CD is “Hall of Giants” and is self-produced by the band.

For more information about this band visit their web site at www.mattstansberryband.com. - Talon - January 26, 2007 by Chad Hartwell

Pop-flavored rock with a healthy infusion of loose-limbed jazz makes up the backbone of The Matt Stansberry Band's excellent debut disc, “The World Goes Up.” With alternately up-tempo and more laid back cuts like “The Left Choice” and “Things To Come,” Stansberry and his crack squad – multi instrumentalist Grant Stevens, bassist Denver Greene and drummer Ben Tinius – switch deftly between summertime, top-down tunes and what the sage Ron Burgundy so appropriately described as “babymakin' music” (for a supreme example of the latter, I refer you to “Personal Alibi”). Two-year veterans of the local scene and winner of the 2004 Oklahoma State Fair Battle of the Bands, this Edmond-based quartet makes it all look supremely easy on “The World Goes Up” – and as goes the world, so too shall this talented foursome's profile. For more information, check out mattstansberryband.com
- Oklahoma Gazette - August 10, 2005 by Preston Jones

Matt Stansberry is an up-and-coming musician who recently won first place at the Oklahoma State Fair's 3rd
annual Battle of the Bands.

Judges for the event included music press. The band was awarded $2,000 for winning the competition.
"The main reason we entered was not for winning, but we wanted people to hear our music," said Stansberry.

Stansberry began as a solo artist and put together a solo CD in the summer of 2002. He then began pursuing the
creation of a band. The band officially came together in July of 2003. Stansberry serves as guitarist, vocalist,
artist, songwriter and arranger for the band. The band is working on producing an album. "We're working on
putting together a CD as a band, right now," said Stansberry.

When Stansberry was thirteen he began playing guitar, and at 14, he began writing his own music. He
incorporates various musical influences in his music. "It's all original stuff that I write. It's rock based with some
jam, funk, and jazz," said Stansberry.

The band hopes to have its first album completed in six to 10 months. All of the music will be original. Stansberry
does the majority of the writing for the band. "I have a huge bank of stuff to pull from," said Stansberry.
- Elk Citian - October 20, 2004 by Julie Jarnagin

Matt Stansberry is an up-and-coming musician who recently won first place at the Oklahoma State Fair's 3rd
annual Battle of the Bands.

Judges for the event included music press. The band was awarded $2,000 for winning the competition.
"The main reason we entered was not for winning, but we wanted people to hear our music," said Stansberry.

Stansberry began as a solo artist and put together a solo CD in the summer of 2002. He then began pursuing the
creation of a band. The band officially came together in July of 2003. Stansberry serves as guitarist, vocalist,
artist, songwriter and arranger for the band. The band is working on producing an album. "We're working on
putting together a CD as a band, right now," said Stansberry.

When Stansberry was thirteen he began playing guitar, and at 14, he began writing his own music. He
incorporates various musical influences in his music. "It's all original stuff that I write. It's rock based with some
jam, funk, and jazz," said Stansberry.

The band hopes to have its first album completed in six to 10 months. All of the music will be original. Stansberry
does the majority of the writing for the band. "I have a huge bank of stuff to pull from," said Stansberry.
- Elk Citian - October 20, 2004 by Julie Jarnagin