Kathy Mattea plays the Paste studio

On Wednesday, Kathy Mattea parked her massive tour bus at the Paste office for a four-song acoustic set and interview highlighting her new album Coal. She cut through the rainy day in Decatur with welcome cheeriness, repeatedly making fun of herself, pretending to care about hair, make-up and getting her “good-side” while filming. At 49, she looks chic and youthful.

Mattea’s warm first impression, though, masks a woman expertly conscious of Coal’s broad social implications—the issues facing coal miners depicted in the songs speak for a variety of working class families. Also, the record underscores how this natural resource is intertwined with our current climate crisis. Mattea is articulate when discussing these issues, as I pleasantly discovered.

Kevin, Paste’s multimedia producer, told me he hated to call Coal a concept record because he feels the label is degrading. He’s right. So many times the “concept” gets in the way of the art, leaving little entertainment value. Not so with Coal. Even though its subject matter is serious, the miners’ struggles are wrapped-up in amazing bluegrass musicianship and lyrical masterpieces that will keep you humming for days. As a writer who cares very much where our country is headed—both socially and environmentally—there’s nothing I love more than when art and message converge like it did on Wednesday.

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Check back soon for video of Kathy Mattea's performance live at Paste!