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In any discussion regarding songwriters and lyricists of 21st century indie music, Alec Ounsworth and his moniker, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, will feature prominently. Few have been as consistently brilliant, eclectic, and intimate; fewer still remain defiantly independent, refusing to sign deals that compromise artistic vision. That is what characterizes Ounsworth’s oeuvre, especially the lifetime project he initiated sometime in the early 2000s, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. And with each release since its landmark self-titled debut, he has refined and broadened his sound, indulging an ever wider set of influences.
Prolific and enigmatic as ever, his recent works marry the quirky, left-field spirit of the early years with a well-earned confidence, and grander sense of scale and ambition. Always heading down new avenues of song arrangement and organic connection to his audience, after nearly two decades Ounsworth remains one of music’s most distinctive voices.
“Around 2004 and 2005, when we were receiving attention from labels and were presented with the choice of signing or remaining independent, what really cemented the decision – after the coin toss – was an inscription my friend wrote in a book he gave me, titled I, Lucifer. He quoted Paul Bowles: “Security is a false God. Begin to make sacrifices to it and you are lost.” – Alec Ounsworth, 2020.
After cutting his teeth on open mics around the Bay Area, San Francisco songwriter Matt Jaffe was discovered by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads. Together, they produced his first album at the age of 16, cementing Matt's dedication to music. Soon, he formed a band, dropped out of college, and has not looked back.
Since then, Matt has written more songs than he can remember the words to, crisscrossed the country opening for Blues Traveler and Wilco, and co-written with Tom Higgenson of the Plain White T's. Inspired by the great lineage of rock n' roll, he marries literary lyrics with the undeniable urge to dance.
Matt has served as musical director for experimental theater, collaborated with poets on genre-bending spoken word, and curated residencies among fellow songwriters. Having suffered from seizures since 2015, Matt also uses his music to unite local and national epilepsy communities. Matt will release his sixth album, White Roses in the Snow, in Summer 2022.
