Anywhere Matt Epp may roam, where he lies his head is home. Still, the nomadic singer/songwriter holds a few habitats especially close to his heart, something that is evident on the song Working Holiday from his new album Safe or Free.

"The song starts off with 'I wish you were with me walking around the St. John's Battery, Newfoundland feels like home, come home with me,'" Epp says. "Then it goes from Newfoundland to California: 'I wish you were walking with me around Ocean Beach, California feels like home, come home with me.' It goes to four places I've had profound connections to. The next spot is the foothills of Alberta. I've had a lot of writing retreats there. It's a peaceful and beautiful spot in Canada.

"The last spot I mention is Manitoba: 'I wish you were with me walking around under summer storms, Manitoba feels like home, come home with me.' I wanted Manitoba to have the impact as the last one, because it is the place that is my home. But it's still a wandering song as much as anything. I joke around about being homeless, but I balance that with saying that I do feel like I have homes everywhere, which is a beautiful feeling."

Epp feels especially connected to this province for good reason. Born in Crystal City, Man., in 1980, Epp spent his youth in several Manitoba towns, eventually moving with family to Alberta. After high school, Epp hitchhiked across Canada for a few years, making snowboard and skateboard films. He eventually returned to familiar territory. In 2001, Epp took up residence in Winnipeg, and lived here until just recently. Music has the man on the move once again, but he still considers a 'Peg show a hometown show.

"You have no idea how excited I am about that show," Epp says. "First of all, I've never played the Pyramid. It's a totally different scene because everybody's always had to sit down at my shows. I'm also excited because The Lytics (local hip hop group) are playing. I'm so impressed with those guys. My best friend Alex produces them and I've known those guys since they were prepubescent little kids jumping on me and stuff. I love that they're doing really great stuff, and I also love the juxtaposition of The Lytics against the Matt Epp band."

Speaking of juxtapositions, you must check out the song and corresponding video for Epp's They Won't Find the Bodies. With an 'if you hurt those close to me, I will kill you' theme, it's the darkest, most twisted tune/video the sweet 'n' sensitive folk musician has ever produced. It's also how Epp met the woman he's madly in love with.

"I'm usually single but this happened immediately," Epp says. "We met the day before the shoot just to see if it would be weird, and are now madly in love. It's pretty ridiculous. We were just in Ottawa at the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference, and she came and met me there and we hung out. People were talking about the music video, looking at her, looking at me, and all of a sudden I thought people were thinking, 'If they're actually together does that mean he's actually a murderer too?' I was thinking there might be some strange ideas going around."

MATT EPP CD RELEASE PARTY
Nov. 3, 9 p.m., Pyramid Cabaret
w/ The Lytics