Singer/songwriter MATTHEW FREDERICK blends acoustic pop, indie folk, along with some ballads and blues to create a style that is classic fusion! With that he has gone on to release five album's, two EP's and a handful of single's! Plenty of new material is in the works as well, as an upcoming single out soon enough. Much more is expected from this guy, and he himself goes into greater detail about what's up next!
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Here’s the short version of the story… I released Venus & Mars, my first solo EP, back in 2012, before my side-project Climbing Trees ended up becoming pretty much full-time for the next few years, right up until the end of 2017, by which point we’d released a couple of albums, played shows in the UK, Europe and USA and been fortunate enough to make quite a few television, radio and festival appearances. We’re ‘hibernating’ at the moment, so my solo material has been the focus over the past couple of years. I went back into the studio in 2019 to record my debut solo studio album Fragments, which came out on CD, tape and digital via Staylittle Music earlier this year.
https://matthewfrederick.bandcamp.com/album/fragments
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
My backing band for the solo side of things are The Hindsights, who I’m yet to play with, actually! I put the band together earlier this year – up until this point all of my solo shows have been completely solo, with just myself alternating between the piano and guitar - and started rehearsing ready for the album launch show back in April. We had to postpone that show (and subsequent tour dates) two or three weeks before, with the Lockdown here in Wales meaning that we haven’t been able to see one another since. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and the name was floating about for years before I finally got around to putting the backing band together. I can’t wait to finally share the stage with them once this is all over!
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I’m in the valleys of South Wales, which has always been a musical part of the world. Traditionally, male voice choirs were the heart of each community, but there’s also been a big rock scene here for the last thirty or forty years. Nowadays I think the artists coming out of this area are more diverse than ever – I’ve collated some of my favorite local acts on my ‘Friends Of Frederick’ playlist, which you’ll find over on Spotify here; https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3lPwQA8QTbFkkLyS4Ez8ts.
4. How would you describe your style?
This is always a difficult one to answer! The piano has been my instrument of choice since the age of five, and I grew up composing classical pieces well before I decided to write and sing my own songs. My most recent album is probably a mixture of acoustic, indie-folk, pop, country and good old fashioned singer-songwriter, but there are some quite cinematic and soundtrack-esque elements as well, particularly on the two instrumental pieces, Time lapse and the title track, Fragments. I’m also a big fan of the blues, so even though that’s not really apparent on the latest album, it’s definitely a feature at my live shows. I usually finish off with a blues number to go out with a bang!
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
I think, if my math's is correct, I’ve put out five albums, two EPs and about fifteen singles so far across my various projects, so there’s a bit of a range of sounds and styles in the back catalogue. There are similarities between all of these releases, of course, but each one also retains its own identity and is representative of the individual project at that particular stage in its development. I’d probably say that it’s best not to expect anything at all when you’re listening to music, though, and just to see which journey it takes you on. Hopefully mine’s a nice one.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yep, plenty! I’ve got a rough idea of the next three records in my head, so will be spending the winter demoing at home, finishing off some bits and bobs and working out which songs sit together nicely as a body of work. Some artists prefer performing live, others prefer writing or being in the studio. I’m equally at home creating and showcasing my work, so am really looking forward to developing the ideas that have been floating around in some cases for just a few weeks, in other cases for much longer. Before that, though, my latest single Leave The Light On is out on October 30th! https://matthewfrederick.bandcamp.com/track/leave-the-light-on-2.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
I had plenty of shows and festivals planned this year, particularly around the release of the album, but only managed to play a handful before the pandemic put a stop to everything. So the last eight months have been quite strange, I must admit! I’m currently rescheduling a bunch of shows for the third time, so until then it’s just the occasional live stream from my living room to remind people that I still exist…
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
Just to play a show outside of the living room would be nice! I’ve really missed the festivals this year. It’s probably my favorite part of the year as an artist, an opportunity to see new places, new faces and reach different audiences (as well as discovering loads of other new artists), so hopefully there’ll be a few festivals on the cards in 2021. It can be lonely as a solo artist sometimes, so the thought of finally being able to play live again with other musicians in front of a crowd a little further down the line is really exciting, whenever that may be.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You’ll find me on Spotify and in all of the usual places online, but Bandcamp is definitely your best bet, and where you can listen to my music as well as picking my CDs, tapes, posters, handwritten lyrics, badges, bottle openers and whatever I think of next! https://matthewfrederick.bandcamp.com
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
If they remember the song they’re listening to, I’ll be happy – and if they can remember my name and pass it on to a friend or two as well, even better! It’s always lovely when you receive messages from fans telling you that your album, or a particular song, has had a big effect on them in some way. You can’t expect everybody to have the same reaction, of course, but there are plenty of artists and albums that have played a big part in my life in some shape or form, so the idea that my music could do the same, even to just a handful of people, is really rewarding.
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