Matthew and the Atlas Tells Us the Personal and Artistic Transitions Behind ‘Temple – Unplugged’

Aryeh Harris-Shapiro

The phrase “British folk” may conjure up images of Mumford & Sons in their heyday, but Matthew and the Atlas is far closer to a cross between the soft melodies of early Bon Iver and the lyrical melancholy of Sufjan Stevens. In the April release, “Temple,” a collaboration with production duo Founding Fields, the group retreated from its synth-textured sound to something organic and warm. In the Dec. 23, “Temple – Unplugged,” the act pushes this transition even further into acoustic minimalism. Entertainment Voice recently spoke with Matthew Hegarty, the band’s lead singer and songwriter, about “Temple – Unplugged” as well as fatherhood and the creative process.

In your previous album, ‘Other Rivers,’ you experimented with synth sounds to great effect. Why did you try a different approach on “Temple?”

There was a specific decision to stick to an aesthetic throughout “Other Rivers,” which really helped to give the album a cohesive feel.  We wanted to change the process with “Temple,” make it less restrictive. I wrote the album at home, sometimes using synths, sometimes acoustic guitar. We carried that ethos in to the studio, if the song felt right with just an acoustic; we didn’t try to change it too much.

You pushed yourself to write one song a week for ‘Temple.’ How did the new pace affect your songwriting process and output?

I really loved writing that way. It stopped me from getting too hung up on trying to finish songs straight away, as I would have to move on at the end of the week regardless. That helped develop a creative flow where each song would feed into another.

How did you link up with Foreign Fields and what did the duo bring to the recording process?

I had met Brian, one half of Foreign Fields, a few years back and my manager has always been a big supporter of them. So we decided to spend a couple of weeks together in Nashville to see how things worked out. We got on straight away, and went home with four or five songs after those two weeks. We headed back over in the autumn to record the album properly. They both bring a very creative and organic feel to the recording process. They are incredible songwriters as well, which definitely adds another dimension.

The recording process for ‘Temple’ was a loose, organic affair. Do you find you work better without rigid structures?

I really enjoyed working that way. It felt like everything was focused around serving the song and making the right decisions for the song. That said a deadline is always needed at some point.

Themes of forgetting and helplessness run through ‘Temple,’ especially the refrain of ‘it’s alright to give up’ from ‘Glacier.’ Where does that melancholy come from?

I like returning to experiences I’ve had in the past, looking at them through different lenses, sometimes mythologizing them. I like using them as a storytelling tool. Some of those experiences are traumatic, so I can see why it might sound melancholic. I’m quite level emotionally, which is probably a result of using songwriting as a kind of therapy device. The “give up” line in “Glacier” is supposed to be more like “let go” but I liked the way “give up” felt darker.

‘On a Midnight Street’ is an overt lament about your daughter growing up in a world suffering from climate change. How has being a father affected you and your writing?

I think it’s affected me in a myriad of ways, many of which I’m not fully aware of yet. It definitely rearranges your brain in a good way. In terms of writing, it brings a whole other perspective to the table that I’m sure will find its way into more songs either directly or indirectly further down the road.

You’re releasing ‘Temple – Unplugged,’ an acoustic reworking of the album on Dec. 23. What brought you back to the material so soon after the original album’s release?

We were just given the opportunity to record them acoustically. I really enjoy doing that, so we started working on it as soon as we could.

The songs on ‘Temple’ are already incredibly intimate. How do you think stripping them back even further on ‘Temple – Unplugged’ affects the album?

I think the focus became more about the lyrical content, especially with the bigger tracks like “Temple,” “On A Midnight Street” and “Mirrors.” Also you get to see the bones of the songs exposed a little more, which I think in context with the original album, is interesting.

What was the greatest challenge when it came to reworking the songs on ‘Temple’ for the acoustic version?

Time was pretty tight, so we had to work quickly. I think the most difficult aspect was stripping back the songs that were already acoustic. The toughest song was “When the Light Hits the Water.” We tried reworking it on banjo, then harp, but nothing sounded as good as the piano. So the only way we could go in the end, was to do a live version with just vocal and piano.

Which song do you think benefited most from the unplugged treatment?

I think the bigger tracks benefit the most. “On A Midnight Street,” “Temple” and “Mirrors” especially.

Do you have plans to play the acoustic album live in the U.S. anytime soon?

No plans as yet, but we’re hoping to get over there sometime next year.

Do you prefer playing live at home or abroad?

I like both, but it definitely feels more exotic when you’re traveling from Austin through the desert to play a show in LA than being stuck in traffic on the M40 to Birmingham. I do find it easier playing a show where I don’t know anyone than say a hometown gig where you have a lot of friends and family. Always feel the pressure more on those ones.

What art are you consuming right now that you think your fans should seek out?

The new Foreign Fields record “Take Cover.” Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – “Skeleton Tree.” Angel Olsen. I’ve been listening to Other Lives record “Tamer Animals” a lot recently. Strand of Oaks.

What’s next for the band after ‘Temple – Unplugged?’

We are touring in February and March next year. I’ll be doing some more writing, starting to think about the next album and working on some concept EPs as well.

“Temple – Unplugged” is available on Apple Music Dec. 23