| Strange Constellations | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | William Matheny |
| Cover: | Strange Constellations.jpg |
| Released: | February 17, 2017 |
| Recorded: | 2013–2016 |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Length: | 40:54 |
| Label: | Misra Records |
| Producer: | Bud Carroll |
| Prev Title: | Blood Moon Singer EP |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | Moon Over Kenova |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
Strange Constellations is the first full-length studio album by the singer-songwriter William Matheny since the indefinite hiatus of Southeast Engine, released on February 17, 2017. It is his debut release on Misra Records.
The album was primarily recorded at Trackside Studio in Huntington, West Virginia. Additional recording took place at 3 Elliott Studio in Athens, Ohio, as well as Ronnie's Place and Electric Thunder, both in Nashville, Tennessee. It was produced and engineered by Bud Carroll (with additional engineering by Justin Francis), and mixed by Francis. Jeff Lipton mastered the album at Peerless Mastering in Boston, Massachusetts, along with assistant mastering engineer Maria Rice.
The illustration on the album cover was drawn by Bryn Perrott, with graphic design by David Pokrivnak. The album was released by Misra Records on compact disc and a limited-edition silver foil vinyl record for the first run. After it sold out, the LP for the second run became a gold-foil inlaid package.
Daytrotter said of Matheny, "If you’re looking for your new favorite Americana rocker, look no further than the wonderful William Matheny," while comparing his sound favorably to The Jayhawks and Counting Crows.[1] Additionally, "Living Half to Death" was chosen as a Heavy Rotation selection on NPR's Weekend Edition, stating that "Matheny has a knack for spinning stores about roach-infested apartments and social anxiety into indie gold.".[2] Nashville Scene called it "a stout volume that folds some expert old-school storytelling into smart, nimble songs",[3] while Paste praised it as "the perfect fusion of alt-country, rock, roots and pop."[4]
All songs written by William Matheny