Matthew Pickup & The Movement

Artist Information

Biography

Matthew Pickup & The Movement is a power quartet based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia - always hard to describe a band's sound, but how's this: Placid players like Wilco and Pete Yorn help the Wheels move forward smoothly, while raw rock like Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam are the engine that push from under the hood. Incubus and Stone Temple Pilots helped create an innovative steering system to drive to new places, while John Prine and The Beatles keep their hold gently on the brakes, reminding where they first started the engine.
While listening you’re either nodding your head, tapping your toe, banging a beat on a table or closing your eyes getting lost in a melody. This music truly evokes movement both physical and internal, with each note or beat planned to make you move. Their full length debut album "Pursuit of Symmetry" was release in May 2009, and is ready to be added to your collection! The appeal and potential for this music is endless, as it crosses so many borders and brings together many sounds and feels. Remember the name; you’re going to be hearing it a lot.

contact: mp@mpatm.com

Instrumentation

Matthew Pickup - Vocals, Guitar
Nick Michaud - Drums
Matt Wight - Bass

Discography

Debut full length album: "Pursuit of Symmetry" (2009)
-with reviews in Exclaim!, Cosmos gaming, and more!

With singles:
"Make Me Move" (featured on rock giant, Q104)
"Trouble City" (featured on Eastlink television ads)
"Wanted You to Know" (featured on CBC national radio).


Sophomore album: "Learning to Lose Control" (2011)

With singles:
"Bring me Sunshine" (Spent 4 weeks on East Coast Countdown's top 10, and has been featured on Halifax's 'Live 105')
"But it's Never You" (featured on CBC national radio)
"Lose Control"


Find them all on iTunes, or visit www.MPATM.com

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• SoundCloud

Audio

• But its never you
  Listen  
• Bring Me Sunshine MP3
  Listen  
• Make Me Move
  Listen  
• Trouble City
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Make Me Move
• Livin' Again
• But It’s Never You
• Forever travelling

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Matthew Pickup & the Movement - Pursuit of Symmetry [+ Show ]
  

  The debut CD from Matthew Pickup & the Movement is proof Halifax, NS continues to be a hub of solid ...The debut CD from Matthew Pickup & the Movement is proof Halifax, NS continues to be a hub of solid rock'n'roll in Canada. Pursuit of Symmetry is a strong effort with a variety of songs. "Wanted You To Know" and "Close to the Bottom" have a lovely country feel, while others, like standout "Trouble City," incorporate hints of the blues. It reminds me a lot of Pete Yorn and even Lifehouse, in the sense the songs are undoubtedly rock but a softer rock lined with subtle pop sensibilities. The album relies heavily on acoustic guitars that are both soothing and powerful. Lyrically, Pursuit of Symmetry flows smoothly but they're typical of this style: a lot of nods to love, losing love and figuring out life — not necessarily bad things. "Entrenched in Comfort" is the curveball, mentioning zombies, monsters and the Devil in a way that might actually make it the deepest track on the record. This is a strong debut that shows a great deal of potential. (Independent)

• Matthew Pickup and the Movement: Pursuit of Symmetry - Our Take [+ Show ]
  

  It is always nice to hear a band that doesn’t like to be stuck into one particular genre. One of th...It is always nice to hear a band that doesn’t like to be stuck into one particular genre. One of the latest to come across my desk that fits this criteria is Matthew Pickup and the Movement, whose debut album Pursuit of Symmetry channels alternative country/folk and traditional rock ‘n roll influences into one cohesive piece of work. And though they are certainly trying out a lot of things at once, this trio appears to have what it takes to make everything come together.
  
  When Pursuit of Symmetry begins the instrumentals are very laid back and have an alternative country vibe to them. But as the album moves forward, it becomes clear that Matthew Pickup and the Movement is much more than the next artist trying to ride the alt-country bandwagon. The rest of the album has styles such as traditional rock ‘n roll, modern alternative rock, and even a little pop. Despite the fact that these guys have tried a variety of different things it always feels as though they have fully developed each one and this means that all of the songs are very catchy. There may be fourteen tracks on this disc, but listeners are sure to enjoy almost all of them.
  
  
  
  Matthew Pickup has a melodic voice that is able to adapt to the various instrumental styles. On the acoustic oriented tracks such as “Sore” he takes a much more subdued approach and keeps his singing at a very low volume, while on the traditional rock tracks such as “Trouble City” he demonstrates that he can sing with a lot of energy and power. There are a few moments where Pickup sounds as though he is a little off but these don’t happen all that frequently and it seems likely that as the group continues he will really come into his own.
  
  
  
  Pursuit of Symmetry is a very enjoyable release and it showcases Matthew Pickup and the Movement as a group that is able to channel multiple influences into one definitive sound. If you like your music a little alt-country and a little rock ‘n roll, this disc is well worth checking out. Although there is strong material to be found on their debut, it seems very possible that what is still to come from Matthew Pickup and the Movement could be even better.
  
  
  
  http://www.mpatm.com/
  
  
  LINK:
  http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=2089&articletype=review

Setlist

A typical set (of which 1-3 can be performed) ranges from 35-50 minutes.

We are predominantly an original act and perform our own blend of top notch material, including:

From "Pursuit of Symmetry":
Make Me Move (the single off our first album!)
Trouble City
Livin' Again
Colours Fade
Sore
The Here & Now
Oh, Sarah Jean
Wanted You To Know
My Mine
What's Real
Close To The Bottom
Poor Man's Riches
Entrenched in Comfort
PeaceKeeper

From "Learning to Lose Control"
Scatter
Bring me sunshine
Lose Control
Leaven in the Dough
But it's Never You
Up your mind
A Dollar Short
Light Protection
Steal Me
Can you feel the music?

And always introducing new material:
My Name Is ...
Darling
Still Taking Pieces
Wasn't Me, Wasn't Me
...and more

-We also like to mix in some covers now and again to add some familiarity for our audiences who may not recognize our material.

Bands we often cover include: The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Doors ... and many other artists who help add some spice to our sets.

No matter where we play, or how many people we are playing for, we pride ourselves on putting on a high energy show with lots of interaction with the audience. Story telling, live jams, extended versions of album tunes, etc...

Basic Requirements

Calendar