“Local guitar virtuoso Matt Lund, who released his Works 2 in 2016, has recently issued a re-release of his 2014 project, Axe of God, with improved sound quality. For those unfamiliar with Lund’s talents, he is an MTSU adjunct professor who releases solo works and projects with jazz fusion project The Lund McVey Group, Christian rock group Rescued Souls and the classic cover act The Time Raiders. Axe of God, a venture set apart from Lund’s other groups in genre and focus, features Matt Heller and Craig Jordan contributing drums and bass, respectively, and performs Christian progressive rock and metal. For the Axe of God record, Lund cut 11 instrumental tracks, all inspired by Bible verses. For example, Isaiah 60:20 (“Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end”) inspired the album’s second track, “Everlasting Light.” Lund takes verses such as these and paints a narrative around them, using his guitar as the paintbrush. Lund’s website, mattlundmusic.com, offers an indication of what inspired the songs, but ultimately, the way the record sounds is what is important. Throughout all his projects, Lund’s composition skills and sensibilities are a force to be reckoned with. His work on Axe of God is no different, with soaring melodies and ripping solos weaving in and out of the tracks. The opening section of the album is where these details shine the most. “Covenant” kicks things off with an epically intricate guitar solo that I can imagine even Jimi Hendrix would have loved to play. From there, “Everlasting Light” provides a bright and triumphant main riff fit for its inspirational title concept. “The Vision” is arguably the hardest rocker on Axe of God, with heavy riffs and theatrical builds and breaks that could stand toe-to-toe with some of popular metal’s finest. Lund caps things off with a bang on “Cornerstone,” a slow and steady rocker that transitions into an Eddie-VanHalen-esque outro. While instrumental prog-rock/metal is not a genre for everyone, those who do enjoy it will want to dig into the top-notch compositions present here. Those seeking a blend of worshipful  inspiration and rock might also appreciate the unique approach to the subject matter.  ” - John Connor Coulston (Axe Of God)

“MTSU adjunct professor Matt Lund is a musical virtuoso with his hand in many genres. He’s in the Christian rock group Rescued Souls, the progressive rock band Axe of God, the classic cover act The Time Raiders and the jazz fusion project The Lund McVey Group. On Works 2, Lund combines compositional elements from those projects into one release that showcases the MTSU Jazz Studies grad’s high level of skill. Works 2 is the sequel to Lund’s last solo effort, Works (2006), and features the musician using a vast collection of string instruments (which are shown on the album’s cover). The songs focus on “hope, faith and love,” with Lund virtually splitting the album in secular and religious halves, throwing some instrumentals in along the way. Lund leads with the love songs, which are the most accessible tracks on Works 2. “I’ll Tell You Later” features beautifully composed string parts (especially the mandolin). The loose, almost improvisational sounding “I’m Gonna Write a Song About It” follows, full of rudimentary rhymes over a jangling acoustic guitar part and wielding a childlike sense of fun. Other tracks in this romantic-themed portion are the kinda schmaltzy (but well-arranged) “Before I Knew You” and the rolling “My Family Line,” which would benefit from a fuller, more fleshed-out instrumental. The Christian side of the record is bit less exciting unless you’re seeking worship songs. However, this side does bring probably the best song on the album, “Closer to God.” It’s upbeat, heartfelt and doesn’t hang around too long. It combines a love story with Lund’s faith, and it’s filled with passionate, strong melodies and a solid instrumental solo. The other strong cuts on Works 2 are the instrumentals, “Now I Can See” and “Anatomic Sub-Lexer, Pt. 2.” The tracks are sprawling pieces that exhibit Lund’s compositional and progressive strengths. “Love of My Life” could come off as rough-sounding at first listen due to its stop-and-start structure, but if you sit back and let the music take you on a journey, it comes off as a score-like piece with highs and lows that could soundtrack any story of your choosing. While it has some issues for passing listeners not interested in lengthy songs or worship-based tracks, Works 2 is undeniably a work of passion and skill that showcases one of Murfreesboro’s most talented musicians in a sweet spot of creativity. Matt Lund’s Works 2 is available on CD Baby, Apple Music, Spotify and mattlundmusic.com.” - John Connor Coulston (Matt Lund: Works 2)

“The Lund McVey Group’s self-titled release came through the Pulse office about a year ago, and I was half-expecting another jazz/fusion album upon realizing co-leader Matt Lund also fronts the band Rescued Souls. Instead, the band’s self-titled debut is a 12-track contemporary rock album—Christian rock, that is—that both packs a punch and revels in soft, acoustic-driven tracks. Other members of Rescued Souls include Shonna Lund (vocals and keyboard), Jeremy Cote (guitar), Craig Jordan (bass) and Justin Abraham (drums). The album, which consists of 12 original songs written by Matt, was recorded by Jimmy Mansfield at Murfreesboro Recording Studio and mixed and produced by Lund. Together, the five musicians transform Matt’s lyrics into songs resembling a style and sound very similar to bands like Casting Crowns and Hillsong, both of which the group credits as influences. Although Matt and Shonna both provide vocals and often harmonize throughout the album, Shonna takes the lead on the majority of tracks. In fact, one of the most memorable moments comes on the rattling opener, “Cast My Cares,” which Shonna makes her own by her resounding voice alone. In contrast, “The Reason That I Live” is a roughly seven-minute acoustic-driven track sung by Matt, with more predictable worship lyrics such as You are wisdom, you are grace, You are power, truth for all my days and You hear the prayers of my heart, and when I feel like I’m falling apart. This brings me to my only complaint. Too often the songs sink into a conventional lull, and the vocabulary doesn’t always hold up for a memorable hook. That’s not to say there aren’t times when tracks shine lyrically, but, as a whole, the instrumentation is what really drives Rescued Souls in the right direction. Whether it’s the keys, guitar, bass or drums, these musicians clearly know their craft. As noted earlier, the album occasionally packs a punch, but most of the songs lean toward softer rock with the occasional spark of electricity.” - Dylan Skye Aycock (Rescued Souls)

“Brand New Cat" by The Lund McVey Group. Fresh clean funky fusion. Fast and fun, like all new cats...of course!” - Fiona Ord-Shrimpton (The Lund McVey Group)

“Chances are, if you’re a local and love jazz music, you’ve probably seen, or at least heard of, The Lund McVey Group. The Christian jazz/fusion outfit’s self-titled full-length studio album is a robust follow-up to their 2011 release Live at the Walnut House, and features 10 original songs composed by Lund, who also performs on electric guitar. Lund, a Middle Tennessee State University graduate and adjunct professor, is also an ordained pastor and is passionate about connecting the music to the Word of God, as heard throughout the album. The rest of the group includes MTSU alumnus Jason McVey (alto saxophone), Adam Bond (electric/upright bass), Shonna Lund (vocals) and Jerry Steinhilber (drums). Together, they give a emblematic spin on biblical scriptures, with a majority of tracks resembling the same style and structure as ’90s progressive fusion band Tribal Tech, whom the group also credits as an influence. The core of the album lies in “Let’s Get Serious” and “My Daddy From Up Above,” both simple yet moderately funky songs brought to life with a combination of saxophone and jangly guitar chords. And if there’s one track on the album that goes beyond the boundaries of musicality it’s “Good and Evil,” which at first seems similar to the others, but eventually shifts into a grooving showcase of impressive vocals by Shonna and dynamic guitar work from Matt. “Look Up,” leaves a lasting impression on the listener with more than eight minutes of unrelenting groove that ties together the album’s jazz-funk threads perfectly. The Lund McVey Group represents a tremendous combination of compositional and instrumental skills, impressively mixed and mastered to capture an effortlessly conveyed charisma.” - Dylan Skye Aycock (The Lund McVey Group)

“Get ready for the sizzle of sweet country blues to take you away. Matt Lund, a professional songwriter, teacher and multi-instrumentalist, is now the lead virtuoso of The Waggerers. This ambitious side-project is an authentic mixture of the assorted bones that make country music popular. Lund used his well-rounded sense of musicianship to recreate a little of Nashville’s trademark twang. He faithfully captured the energy of the various sub-genres co-existing under the wide umbrella of country music. Matt Lund is more than a musician; he’s also an experienced music educator. Lund currently teaches jazz guitar and directs the Commercial Music Ensemble at MTSU, aside from the great work he does at Sky Studios in Brentwood. After moving to Tennessee and jamming with other players, he developed an appreciation for different country styles. Upon listening to the intricate embellishments of the opening track on the Matt Lund and The Waggerers album, “Pickin’ and Grits,” you’ll hear it all. Lund is a very capable musician who took the time to learn new instruments specifically for this project, but he isn’t the only musician featured on the album. He’s joined by fellow professionals such as Tyler Enslow from The Cosmic Collective and an impressive gang of guitar players including Josh McKee, Tyler Reese, Matt Berry and Schuylar Shoates. Proficient fiddle players are somewhat rare, but luckily, Bethany Olds fit the job description and jumped onboard. Last but not least, drummer Duane Norman (Crystal Gayle) held down the rhythm. Together, all of these seasoned musicians deserve praise for helping Lund create the sound of The Waggerers. The record features a modest collection of songs, primarily instrumental, though a few songs, such as “I Like Country Now,” feature vocals. The instrumental tracks are surely enjoyable; however, I found that the tracks with vocals don’t live up to that level of quality. We get a wide variety of country flavors but without the vocal heart and soul that would nudge it toward perfection. The tracks are mixed surprisingly well. Every track is a near-crystal mix. The guitar picking is articulate. Slide guitar swoops and flutters over a bed of gritty blues. It’s an exceptional Southern pleasure. Matt Lund and The Waggerers is just one stop on Lund’s musical journey, which has encompassed performing, composing and teaching a wide variety of styles, inspired by a long list of fretboard aficionados from Joe Bonamassa to Ricky Skaggs and Brent Mason. Dive deep into his music and you’ll hear inspiration seeping between every note. For more about Matt Lund, visit mattlundmusic.com. His album, Matt Lund and The Waggerers, is available to stream everywhere.” - Jordan Hall (Matt Lund and the Waggerers)