Matt Costa is known for his organic sound driven mainly by guitars and percussion. His unique vocals add an almost raw quality to his music. As if he created all his songs sitting on his back porch hanging out with some friends.

Matt Costa has released three albums and two EPs.

Matt Costa EP (2003)
The Elasmosaurus EP (2004)
Songs We Sing (2005)
Unfamiliar Faces (2008)
Mobile Chateau (2010)

Some of my favorite Matt Costa songs to work by are “Cold December” and “Sunshine” from his “Songs We Sing” album. From his “Unfamiliar Faces” album I really like “Lilacs”, “Emergency Call”, “Vienna”, “Never Looking Back”, and “Mr. Pitiful.” If you haven’t heard Matt Costa before take a moment and watch the video for “Mr. Pitiful” below.

So next time you’re looking for something to listen to while you work, check out Matt Costa. What do you listen to while you work?

My goal is to share music with you that I think is inspiring, thought provoking, or just plain rocks. I’ll provide a short review and do it on a regular-ish basis.

For our first Music to Work By I want to introduce you to Shad. Shad is a Kenyan born Canadian Hip Hop artist. Yes, they actually have hip hop in Canada. I was surprised too. Unlike a lot of rap and hip hop artists, Shad is known for his self-deprecating and socially conscious lyrics. He also has some of the most killer beats this side of Kanye. Shad’s latest album TSOL features a song called Rose Garden that I listen to a lot. Here are a few lyrics:

You never question when you get the blessings
So don’t get vexed when your life is stressed
And I promise I’ll be with you no matter what the issue
But there will be some issues to address

It’s a good reminder to me that I’m going to encounter obstacles and problems in life but it’s going to be OK. My Maker is going to get me through them.

Enjoy the video and please give me some feedback. Did I totally lose you and you’re going to report me to the Technorati or is this something you’d like to see more of? Contact me or comment on the post.