Matthew & the Atlas – The Lexington, London – 13/4/10
4/5
By: Chris Helsen
Listening to the four-track To the North EP, the debut release from Matthew Hegarty (Matt to his friends, Matthew & the Atlas with his friends) - the release of which we are all gathered at this jam-packed show at the Lexington to celebrate - you get the feeling that he might be one to catch live. In a crowded scene his own particular version of 21st century folk has earned him many plaudits, as well as a stint as tour support to the all-conquering Mumford & Sons. It is also to his credit that ‘Deadwood’ is perhaps the stand-out track on the recent Communion compilation that also features the likes of Johnny Flynn, Jay Jay Pistolet and Alessi’s Ark.
In all honesty, though, Matthew & the Atlas’ take on folk is a not un-traditional one – it is through Hegarty’s quite exquisite voice that the attention is grabbed. Live, as on record, ears prick up and more than the odd jaw drops when this rather unassuming chap opens his mouth. For he is blessed with the kind of voice that bears instant comparison with the likes of Ray Lamontagne and Nick Drake, but that sounds, above all, like the hoarse voice of a storyteller, the kind that would have held an assembly of listeners captivated in any century. And so, tonight at the Lexington a tightly packed crowd that had been bustling throughout two enjoyable support sets is instantly hushed by the opening mournful syllables of ‘Deadwood’ – it stays that way throughout.
In amongst a hugely impressive set, the four tracks featured on the To the North EP are each charmingly performed, with Hegarty on guitar supported by a full four-piece folk band, and rarely can any band’s sound have been done as much justice by the impeccable Lexington acoustics. It’s all you expect from a really good folk show, but Matthew & the Atlas pull it off even better than most. The band weave a delightful web, most obviously from some beautifully written, impeccably arranged songs and Hegarty’s aforementioned vocals, but also Lindsay West’s perfectly complementary backing vocals, some lively banjo and suitably understated accordion.
To scrabble around for negatives, things go a little off track during some of the high-pitched moments of ‘In Winter’, but in general it is a show to put a smile on anyone’s face. When the crowd ecstatically whoop at a subtle musical moment half way through the third track of the evening, several members of the band share a half-smile that seems to indicate that this is something rather special for them – for much of the audience it seems the same.
The all-too-brief set is capped off by a rousing performance of the standout track from the To the North EP – the folk anthem ‘I Will Remain’, complete with an assortment of on-stage associates to aid with handclaps and chorus duties – and the whole evening with a celebratory air. On this evidence there may well be many more celebrations on the way for Matthew & the Atlas.
Artists in this article: Matthew & the Atlas
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