Album Review: Other Rivers by Matthew and the Atlas

London based musician and part-time landscape gardener Matt Hegarty, the driving force behind folk-rooted Americana outfit Matthew And The Atlas, has sculpted a completely different shape to his music on debut album Other Rivers; as such, this long-awaited album marks a considerable career crossroads that will no doubt disappoint some fans but also draw in many others. Whilst earlier EPs focused on a folky, acoustic banjo-heavy sound, the new offering has been heavily influenced by producer Kevin Jones who introduced Hegarty to the wonders of Apple’s Logic software. This results in a considerable shift towards Moby-like electronica based soundscapes, with vocal melodies sitting prettily on top like fancy icing on the sweetest of baked delights.

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After already establishing himself in the UK and the US, releasing two EPs and being the first signing to the now mainstay label Communion, this debut full length album from Matthew and the Atlas, aka Matt Hegarty, has most definitely been a long time coming. Other Rivers is not a wet behind the ears, fresh faced debut. Matthew’s voice is in fact the opposite of anything remotely newborn; gravelly, deep, and the glorious consistency of honey, it’s a weather-beaten, worn in leather jacket of a voice.

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Head here to submit your own review of this album. You can't really blame Communion Records for sticking with a certain sound, I suppose. Formed in 2010 by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons they struck gold very quickly with the discovery, for better or worse, and signing of the likes of Ben Howard, that professional careerist and shameless trend-follower Jay Jay Pistolet (you might know him a little better now as the singer in The Vaccines) and Michael Kiwanuka, while they can also take a bit more credit for being involved with the music of Daughter, Nathaniel Rateliff and Caveman.

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