Song Premiere: Matt Nathanson, “Earthquake Weather”

“It feels like summer, but it’s earthquake weather.”

That’s the refrain of Matt Nathanson’s “Earthquake Weather,” a left-field pop tune about cheating… as told from the cheater’s perspective. Nathanson throws us a curveball, setting the scene like the director of some family-friendly movie from the 1950s before turning the focus to something darker and more sinister.

“It feels like everything is calm,” he tells us. “And right. And settled. And beautiful. Kids are laughing, people are smiling… but there are these insidious, secretive things just under the surface that are gonna up-end everything. It’s about to get real ugly, real fast, and it’s gonna take everyone — even the person who knows it’s coming — completely by surprise.”

Surprises are the name of the game on Nathanson’s new album, Last Of The Great Pretenders. Produced by Jake Sinclair and Mike Viola (frontman of the ‘90s power-pop band Candy Butchers, as well as the man behind the best tunes from “That Thing You Do,” “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” and “Get Him To The Greek”), it’s the sort of cinematic record that goes far beyond Nathanson’s singer/songwriter roots. Expect big arrangements and bigger hooks, and look for Last Of The Great Pretenders on July 16.

Pre-order the album on iTunes or head here for CD/Vinyl.