Concertwire.com

Former skateboard pro Matt Costa signed to surfer Jack Johnson’s label on the strengths of his pop songs and smooth, appealing voice. His dreams of pro skating came to an end when he seriously injured his leg in a skateboarding accident at 18. During his year-and-a-half-long rehabilitation, Costa refocused his energy on songwriting and guitar playing and began using a four-track to make demos. One of these demos found its way to No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont, who liked what he heard so much that he offered to produce Costa's music, and soon they had recorded two independently released EPs, Matt Costa and The Elasmosaurus, as well as a full-length early version of Songs We Sing. These caught the ear of Brush Fire Records owner Jack Johnson, who was impressed by the young musician's work and signed Costa to his label and invited him to open his 2005 summer tour. In 2006, Costa's official major-label debut, Songs We Sing (slightly different from the 2005 indie version) was released. Unfamiliar Faces followed in 2008.