Last updated: 7 hours ago
A Matt Kivel song is always deep.
Whether it's a cryptic labyrinth of drones and blood-drenched poetic verse, a shimmering ambient composition, or a perfectly polished slice of mid-century pop, there is an unmistakable commitment to emotion. Sometimes the results are uncomfortable, with nerve-splintering depictions of mental illness and self-destruction, but they can also heal, conveying wisdom and peace with the hope of transfiguring pain. He has released seven full-length albums on a range of record labels, including Woodsist, Olde English Spelling Bee, and the Mexico City-based Pedro Y El Lobo.
Kivel grew up in Santa Monica during the 1990s, and has said that the "folk music" of that region and time came from pop-punk, FM radio, and nu-metal bands. He was raised with this music. Then he rebelled against it, immersing himself in psychedelic DIY, avant rock, experimental composition, and traditional British folk song. He took inspiration from an unexpected blend of heroes, including Ray Davies, Oasis, Shirley Collins, Robert Wyatt, Sandy Bull, and Nick Drake.
From 2007 to 2012, Kivel led the indie rock band Princeton with his twin brother Jesse. He then released his first solo album, "Double Exposure," in 2013, to wide acclaim with Pitchfork calling it a "small masterpiece." In the years since, he has collaborated on recordings with Alasdair Roberts, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes, and other likeminded artists.
Kivel now lives in Austin, Texas.
Whether it's a cryptic labyrinth of drones and blood-drenched poetic verse, a shimmering ambient composition, or a perfectly polished slice of mid-century pop, there is an unmistakable commitment to emotion. Sometimes the results are uncomfortable, with nerve-splintering depictions of mental illness and self-destruction, but they can also heal, conveying wisdom and peace with the hope of transfiguring pain. He has released seven full-length albums on a range of record labels, including Woodsist, Olde English Spelling Bee, and the Mexico City-based Pedro Y El Lobo.
Kivel grew up in Santa Monica during the 1990s, and has said that the "folk music" of that region and time came from pop-punk, FM radio, and nu-metal bands. He was raised with this music. Then he rebelled against it, immersing himself in psychedelic DIY, avant rock, experimental composition, and traditional British folk song. He took inspiration from an unexpected blend of heroes, including Ray Davies, Oasis, Shirley Collins, Robert Wyatt, Sandy Bull, and Nick Drake.
From 2007 to 2012, Kivel led the indie rock band Princeton with his twin brother Jesse. He then released his first solo album, "Double Exposure," in 2013, to wide acclaim with Pitchfork calling it a "small masterpiece." In the years since, he has collaborated on recordings with Alasdair Roberts, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes, and other likeminded artists.
Kivel now lives in Austin, Texas.
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