“The writing is exquisite and Matt Hegarty’s unique weathered baritone is the unshakable central pillar holding everything aloft.” – Belwood Music
“Bold, strident work, Matthew & The Atlas is a project fuelled by experience, and framed by maturity.” – Clash
Founded by Matt Hegarty, Matthew and the Atlas was borne of the late 00’s folk rock movement as he became a regular in the West London scene. It was after playing at the Communion Clubnight that the event-turned-Record label released his first official EP in 2010. Since then, he has released four albums, traversing a range of musical territories from classic acoustic folk, to dramatic synth-laden electronica, and urgent guitar led alt-rock. The common thread has been a song-writing style that marries a subtle melodic sensibility with lyrics full of natural imagery and dark emotional heft – all delivered in his striking and distinctive vocal. In the process Hegarty has quietly built a major cult following in Europe and the US.
On his latest record, Matt travelled to the famous Rockfield Studios in Wales, recording 11 tracks live to tape over just a couple of days. Here he worked with Kevin Jones (Wunderhorse, Jay Anderson, Bear’s Den), and their aim was to capture a moment in time and a sense of place into the recording, with all the magic and intimacy just a lone voice and a guitar can bring. The beautiful result is Many Times, released on Communion Records in May 2024.
