Despite its future reputation as being the year a global pandemic killed hundreds of thousands of humans and paralyzed much of Earth, 2020 also brought a few welcome surprises on the music front, including the long-awaited new studio album from Austin, Texas based Matt Smith. The flagship release of Matt’s extensive 2020 CD campaign, featuring eight albums of Matt’s music, both vintage and new, Being Human ​was released at the height of the 2020 pandemic. Filled with so many memorable songs, the 8 cut Being Human CD is a most welcome return from Matt. Known for his potent jam band albums and well as his reputation as a guitar hero / instructor and equally a first-rate music producer, Matt injects a very deep sense of emotion and commitment into each of these eight tracks. He clearly also put a lot of work into the you tube videos, that you can watch online, for these tracks but, a must for those with decent CD stereo systems, Being Human is also a stellar example of Matt’s studio production skills. With one stunning track after the next, Being Human offers a mix of modern-day rock protest music, disco-funk jams, folk music, punk-rock, driving ballads and even, what sounds to my ears as pop-jazz music inspired from the peaceful, easy late 1970s. Being Human’s lead off track “Sanctuary” touches a nerve with its critical, charged lyrics paired to a Dire Straits inspired guitar groove. “God Is Watching Over You” is a solid torch song with a melody and emotion that Elton and McCartney fans will appreciate. With its acoustic protest movement mood, “How We Got To Here” would make the late Phil Ochs or John Lennon proud. With its driving unique rock sound, “Down In The Hole” reflects Matt’s own personal life story of overcoming addictions and finding recovery and hope. Fans of Matt’s stellar electric guitar work will be amazed at his fretboard melodicism and high energy riffing throughout Being Human. Fleshing out the excellent studio production, Matt’s production gathers 20 different musicians that appear on various tracks—each one tastefully-recorded at Matt’s and Bill Kaman's world-renowned 6 String Ranch studios in Austin. It’s been ten years since I wrote about the Matt Smith’s World CD and now ten years after, Matt Smith's Being Human lives up to its title with a stunning collection of Pandemic-era recordings that serves as a virtual soundtrack for 2020.