Matt Monsoor

An artist and craftsman, Matt Monsoor returned to his hometown from Los Angeles in the late ’90s, drawn back by the Driftless region’s quiet expanses and forgotten structures. He settled in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he’s spent decades making music and handcrafting furniture from salvaged wood—often from old barns and stables around the hills that first inspired him.

His latest single, Sam’s Hill, was written 25 years ago and reimagined in 2024 with producer Shane Leonard (Mipso, Humbird). The track features an all-star cast: JT Bates (Bonny Light Horseman) on drums, Courtney Hartman (Della Mae) on harmonies, Pat Keen (Humbird) on bass, and Paul Brandt on keys. Glide Magazine described Monsoor’s sound as “refreshingly imaginative and undeniably catchy… reminiscent of Andrew Bird at his most wistful.”

Sam’s Hill follows the release of his 2024 EP Better Things, recorded live to ½” tape with Leonard, Matthew Skemp (Collections of Colonies of Bees), and Andrew Fitzpatrick (Bon Iver).

Monsoor is making music that’s both rooted and cinematic. His songs recall the sensibilities of T Bone Burnett and Jon Brion, shaped by the Driftless—spacious, natural, and full of quiet detail.