Matt Pryor in West Palm Beach

Kansas City-born Matt Pryor has long been a defining figure in the second and third waves of emo music. His band The Get Up Kids helped shape an entire musical landscape, though after reaching international recognition they eventually moved beyond genre constraints toward a more indie sound. On his latest album released under his own name, The Salton Sea, he delivers clear evidence of decades-long devotion to music and songwriting. Steadfast fans will recognize the stylistic echoes of Paul Westerberg and Red House Painters, all filtered through Pryors signature voice whose roots run deep in artists like Elvis Costello and The Afghan Whigs. The album title was chosen deliberately; while not a concept record, it reflects some of the darkest periods of his life when he wrote these songs. After six months spiraling downward during what he calls the final days of his drinking career, Pryor finally hit rock bottom. A casual habit had become an addiction that reached its peak in 2023, forcing him to choose between continuing down this path toward tragedy or cleaning up and staying sober. He chose sobriety, and the resulting album offers a beautiful reflection on that journey. The Salton Sea is named after a terminal lakea body of water with no inflow where salinity increases through evaporation and pollution. Once a tourist destination for celebrities in the 1950s and 60s, it has now become an uninhabitable wasteland. In his state of addiction, Pryor saw himself as this once vibrant desert oasis that was once called California but is now a shadow of its former self.