REVIEW: Matthew and The Atlas – This Place We Live

Four albums into his career, Matthew Hegarty might be forgiven for thinking that his music as Matthew and the Atlas deserves to have received more recognition. Matthew and the Atlas may have started as a five-piece-band, evolved to a trio, before eventually becoming Hegarty as the central focus with a set of rotating musicians stepping in on projects and tours, but in every guise they have released beautiful, folk-influenced music with notes of electronica and alt-rock showing up throughout. Matthew has one of those incredibly unique voices which you recognise the second it starts. Alongside his superb lyrical ability, this leads to a series of emotionally wrought songs and albums that more people need to hear.

This Place We Live does seem to see Hegarty finally settled into his life as a solo artist, resulting in some of the most intimate and affecting songs of his career so far. Opener ‘Nineteen’ is pared back to acoustic instrumentation and a drum machine, but this is a perfect backdrop to a stunning vocal and a nostalgic story about looking back and seeing how life has changed in the interim. ‘Record Store’ keeps to similar themes both in terms of its sound and its lyrical content, with Hegarty reflecting on how a new relationship can feel strange when it takes place in a geographical area that feels so familiar. I am unsure whether the song is a father talking to a new child, or someone talking to a new romantic partner – but either way the sentiment remains.

‘Pushkar’ maintains the feeling of nostalgia that washes over the whole album, as Hegarty reflects on memories of a trip to that famous lake in India and how that trip creeps into his life today. And then we have ‘Caught By The Lie,’ possibly the album’s best song. A beautiful guitar lick, a simple bit of percussion, and Hegarty’s voice at its sweetest. Something that becomes clear at this point is how addictive Hegarty’s choruses are – hooks aren’t often spoken of in music so gentle, but that’s exactly what they are in this case. They’ll stick in your head for days.

‘Man You Used To Know’ closes out the first half of the album with another earworm at its centre. There could be an argument that Hegarty actually does himself a disservice by starting the album so strongly, as the opening half does feature many of the strongest and most addictive songs. ‘Codeine’, the title song, and ‘Into The Bars’ are all good, but not quite as captivating as those that have come earlier. That said, ‘You See It All’ has some of the most interesting instrumentation on the album and the best opening lines on offer, while closer ‘Folding Unfolding’ offers a slice of Bon Iver-esque magic that has to be admired.

Overall, it’s easy to make an argument for this as the best Matthew and the Atlas work so far. I’d advise those who aren’t familiar with him to give it a few listens, as it can take a while to seep in – you need time to let those hooks get in deep. Hegarty can also sound quite earnest in his delivery and his choice of words, which might be offputting to some – but if you can see past that, to let the words and sounds wash over you, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most affecting albums of 2023.

Words by Fran Slater