For anyone who’s familiar with this London singer-songwriter, you’ll recall his mournful piano ballads with playful lyrics and brooding baritone; largely inspired by the late, great Leonard Cohen. With this memory in tact, you may be surprised by the opening bassline and raw percussion of Matt Maltese’s latest single ‘Greatest Comedian’. Suddenly the shadowed pianist is bursting with upbeat indie sounds, teetering on the edge of an uneasy relationship with the universe’s plans. The impossibly catchy chorus (yes, you will be singing it all day), is framed by Maltese’s versions of well-known figures. Forget Romeo, today’s world fosters mismatched Davids and Juliettes instead. And hold on, didn't you hear? Jesus was a very handsome girl. You probably thought Matt Maltese couldn't get any better than ‘Studio 6’ or ‘Vacant in the 21st Century’, and may be you'd be right, if we were talking about piano ballads. In short, ‘Greatest Comedian’ is a must listen for all of you reluctant optimists. - HT