Matt Ellis is set to release A searing new single, “Not Even Springsteen,” the first taste of his forthcoming seventh album.
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PHOTO BY J.D. NARRO
““I was texting with a friend after the election results came in,” Ellis recalls. “Incredulous at the result, I half-joked, ‘Not even Springsteen changed their minds,’ an off-the-cuff comment that carried so much cultural weight, it became a defining lyric for the song and album in many ways.””
Australian-born, California-based songwriter Matt Ellis returns with “Not Even Springsteen,” the first single from his forthcoming seventh studio album, and it’s a haunting, clear-eyed portrait of America’s political divide.
Recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Nicolas Vernhes (Spoon, The War on Drugs) at Rare Book Room in California’s High Desert, the song sees Ellis blending his signature folk-rock storytelling with social commentary that cuts deep.
Through character-driven lyrics and plainspoken poetry, Ellis examines the contradictions of modern America, where faith, fear, and nostalgia collide at the ballot box. A third-generation union man, a single mother chasing lost glory, and the son of immigrants all find themselves misled and disillusioned. “They confused you with their fake news; not even Springsteen changed your mind,” Ellis sings, channeling both heartbreak and disbelief at a nation divided against itself.
“I was texting with a friend after the election results came in,” Ellis recalls. “Incredulous at the result, I half-joked, ‘Not even Springsteen changed their minds,’ an off-the-cuff comment that carried so much cultural weight, it became a defining lyric for the song and album in many ways.”
That off-the-cuff jab at the red states was in reference to Bruce Springsteen’s PSA in the weeks leading up to the election. Never had we seen so many prominent artists come forward to support a presidential candidate, and it spoke volumes to the dire situation.
Tracked live in late summer 2024 with Matt Ellis on acoustic guitar and vocal, Denny Weston Jr. on drums, and Dustin Bookatz on bass, “Not Even Springsteen” captures the immediacy of a band locked in the moment. Additional guitars, mandolin, and melodica were added by Joshua Norton, while Ellis recorded his final vocals at his home studio just over the ridge from Rare Book Room.
The song’s bridge features guest vocals from friend and fellow Hi-Desert songwriter Karma (of Henry Ate), whose ethereal harmonies lend the closing lines a haunting echo—“Don’t it make you feel like a rebel / fighting the wrong side.”
Produced by Ellis and Vernhes and mastered by J.J. Golden, “Not Even Springsteen” will be released independently on November 14, 2025, and available on all major streaming platforms.
Follow Matt Ellis on Instagram for news on the upcoming album release.
LYRICS
“Not Even Springsteen”
By Matt Ellis
Third generation union man
Wary of these changing times
Wants his son to grow up, be a man
Thinks the government gets to decide
She married young,
to her high school love
Raised daughters for the nation
Her glory days, they never came
Now she breeds disinformation
They confused you, with their fake news
Not even Springsteen changed your mind
His father crossed the Rio Grande,
found shelter in Laredo
He thought his son would take a stand
Now Mother hides in shadow
They deceived you, with their fake news
But you believed the lies
They seduced you, with those gold shoes
Not even Springsteen changed your mind
We heard you sing every chorus
You were raised on his every line
But still you chose to ignore it
And I’ll always wonder why
So you signed the deal with the devil
Wipe the blood from your ROI
Don’t it make you feel like a rebel
fighting the wrong side
CREDITS
“Not Even Springsteen”
Written by Matt Ellis
Matt Ellis: Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Joshua Norton: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar,
Mandolin & Melodica
Dustin Bookatz: Bass
Denny Weston Jr: Drums & Percussion
Karma: Backing Vocals
Produced by Matt Ellis & Nicolas Vernhes
Recorded & Mixed by Nicolas Vernhes
Mastered by J.J. Golden