Matthew Pickup & the Movement
Pursuit of Symmetry
By Sheena Lyonnais

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)


Link to online version of review:

http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=136&csid2=850&fid1=40142

Music: Matthew Pickup and the Movement: Pursuit of Symmetry

Our Take

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/

Chris Dahlberg

June 13, 2009

(Link to review online HERE)