Press
"An alabaster soul singer with the attitude of a blues harmonica player; so we could define the young Matt Lomeo. Those who love to neatly divide their record collection by genres, will have a great deal of trouble finding the right location for...When You Call, an intriguing and promising debut by this native New Yorker with likely Italian ancestry...In When You Call we find a right dose of swingante blues even if... the album is, in its entirety and in hindsight, an exploratory and diversified journey around the various world of genres: country, Americana, Motown soul, R&B, Philly sound, plus the occasional forays into those entertainer atmospheres typically akin to the classic American songbook.
There isn't a song that doesn't work here! Lomeo's voice, high and subtly nasal, is well suited to various contexts, but it is the witty songwriting and the agile harmonica, whose most obvious references can be found in George 'Harmonica' Smith and Rick Estrin, playing in the role of first actors. The often concise eloquence of his breath in the instrument follows, with effective flights of fantasy, the lines of a saxophone; his solos have the gift of being able to bring any song back within the boundaries, albeit extended, of the blues."
- Macallé Blues, Italy
"Recordings that check ALL the right boxes are a rarity. Matt Lomeo’s When You Call does just that...Deeply rooted in blues tradition, with elements of pop, jazz, country, and calypso, these tunes aim straight for the heart. Who has not been faced with the pain of love gone awry? Matt Lomeo and company express we have all experienced at one time or another, and he does with a great voice, killer band, a great deal of insight, and a dose of comedy to lighten the load. Heartache has never felt or sounded quite this good. Thanks for pulling things back into perspective."
-Reflections in Blue, chickenwilson2.blogspot.com
"When You Call is a successful first introduction to Matt Lomeo, a talented musician and songwriter, who can only be caught under his own hat."
-Rootstime, Belgium
"Singing and playing a nasty little harmonica, Matt Lomeo takes you to the sounds of vintage STAX sessions on this album...What makes this album fun is that Lomeo writes everything, ranging from the 50s boogie of “Why Do I Cry” to a foot stomping “Accepting Applications” with a humming smoking low ceiling’d Hammond on “Take The Boulevard” to split the difference. His voice works on the romantic “Outside of A Song” and is comfortable on the boy-next-door “One More 1&1”, while his harp is like a wind of Lake Michigan on “27”. Fresh takes of a vintage style."
-Jazz Weekly
Interview with Michael Limnios Blues Network, Greece:
"As a singer Lomeo’s blues influences definitely make themselves known, but there’s too much going on here to call it a ‘blues’ album. It seems that when inspiration hits genre is one of the least important elements in Matt’s songwriting...The musicianship is tasty- tight, yet loose enough to leave room for some improvisation, which makes this a fun record to listen to."
-The Rock Doctor
"...a very varied album with styles ranging from soul, roots to blues and R&B. Very nice are “Outside Of A Song”, the bluesy “Got A New Woman” and the two very different versions of the title track “When You Call”. Fine album, very varied and a nice introduction to Matt Lomeo."
-Barn Owl Blues, Netherlands
"...there’s a healthy helping of hardcore blues, but the record is a diverse exploration of numerous genres, including country, Americana, classic Motown and R&B, Philly soul and even a taste of the torch singers of the great American songbook. Produced by Grammy-nominee Terry Wilson, “When You Call” boasts clever lyrics, catchy hooks, soulful vocals and tight improvisations."
-Observer Dispatch, Utica, NY