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MATT DEIGHTON

MATT DEIGHTON

MATT DEIGHTON

Press
  • "It is impossible to imagine fans of Nick Drake and John Martyn not falling in love with him"
  • The Sunday Times
  • “One of this country’s best kept secrets…a sense of timelessness enshrouds Deighton… embrace the return of his unique talent”
  • The Huffington Post
  • "A mellow folk-soul gem, shamefully overlooked... there's clearly a sharp, undervalued talent at work."
  • Mojo
  • "His true spiritual ancestor is Nick Drake... Matt has an uncanny knack of writing songs that sound like they’ve been constructed just before dusk on a riverbank"
  • The Observer Music Monthly
  • "I haven’t heard anything of such beauty from an artist that hasn’t been lauded by the masses, not since Nick Drake was ‘re-discovered’ has an album needed similar affection and popular opinion... utterly exquisite."
  • Louder Than War
  • "Wake Up The Moths is the sound of a craftsman at work, as intricate as a room full of carriage clocks. Beautiful, really."
  • Record Collector
  • "The influences are out front, primarily John Martyn, with Nick Drake and David Crosby thrown in... although the overall feeling is Scritti Politi stripped of the electronics. The word melliflous seeps over you as you listen..."
  • The Guardian
  • "One of the most respected artists in British Music today. Inspiring"
  • The Sun
  • "You could prefix every song with descriptions such as dreamy, bucolic, beautiful, tender. His songs are without exception mellow, exquisite and sublime. That’s a given from this guy"
  • Pop Junkie
  • Matt Deighton has something unique about him and this [You Are The Healer] is a winning selection... it's been worth the wait. A Modern Classic that just has to be the HFC Album of the Month
  • Sounds Magazine Hi-Fi Corner (Phil Strongman)
  • "The unmistakable quality of Deighton's voice, songwriting and guitar playing"
  • BBC Music
  • "The real time for Matt Deighton is now, when singer-songwriters are freely re-editing the stoned sound of the early’70’s in their own way... (Matt) would appeal to anyone who felt horizontal and golden while listening to Jonathan Wilson’s ‘Gentle Spirit"
  • Mojo
  • “One of the albums of the year"
  • Louder Than War
  • "Sparkles like a cool sweet cider sipped in a gentle summer breeze"
  • NME
  • "[You Are The Healer] ... Gentle, acoustic, soulful pieces are interspersed with some funky, laid-back grooves... with occasional assistance from keyboard wizard Brian Augur. A warm and wonderful work."
  • Record Collector
  • "Matt Deighton is one of the most respected and loved artists within the British music industry... This documentary explores Matt’s significant contribution to the British music scene, yet it also reveals a man whose blistering internal sunlight, recognised by all who have worked with him, deserves the acclaim of us all"
  • Louder Than War
  • "An unexpected gem"
  • Attitude Magazine
  • [Villager] "A fine record, made with love."
  • Mojo
  • “A lost legend”
  • Shindig!
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News
About

2021 finally sees the reemergence of British folk’s most enigmatic lost son. You may recognize Matt Deighton from his time fronting Acid Jazz heroes Mother Earth; you may remember him as Paul Weller’s guitarist in the late 90’s, or Noel Gallagher’s recommendation for who should replace him when he quit the European tour in 2000. Or maybe you don’t. For almost two decades, the man they keep calling the natural successor to Nick Drake, Davey Graham and John Martyn has been himself more of a rumour – a murmur among musicians, songwriters and diehard music lovers who proudly display his rare vinyl releases like trophies. The list of articles in the press and online has continued unabated, forever asking the same question: Where is Matt Deighton? As the Huffington Post discovered in their recent piece ‘The Resurrection of Matt Deighton’: He’s back. He’s been back a couple of times, and you missed him.

For those prospectors looking to pan the stream for a British Sugar Man, Matt’s discography shines like a diamond among the silt. ‘Villager’ was the subject a few years back of a Mojo ‘Buried Treasure’ feature and is oft hailed as a British folk classic; The Common Good is strewn with British music glitterati such as Paul Weller, Steve White, Mick Talbot and Marco Nelson; and the stunning You Are The Healer features Brian Auger among others. Matt is one of those rare artists that musicians simply want to be associated with. Tom Cox, who reviewed Wake Up The Moths for the Observer Music Monthly recently remarked in the sleeve notes for the vinyl reissue that his only regret when reviewing the album was that he felt his ‘measly four out of five star rating did it a disservice’. Add to that the four stars from Q and Mojo for his collaboration with Chris Sheehan ‘The Bench Connection’ in 2007 and you start to get the picture. That’s to say nothing of collaborations with Chris Difford, Dr John and Mighty Baby.

Having spent years trying to convince Bill Fay to come out of retirement – which resulted in the heavily critically acclaimed Life Is People (Matt assembled the band and played lead, which he also did for Countless Branches and Who Is The Sender) he accidentally convinced himself back in to the studio at the same time for The Family Silver with legendary Weller/Style Council and Who drummer Steve White, and Ocean Colour Scene bassist Damon Minchella. There then followed a whispered release of a lost classic written with Squeeze’s Chris Difford and recorded with Richard Causon, Kids Steal Feelings; and there were the almost invisible, yet fathoms deep ripples in the pond from his most recent, achingly beautiful album Doubtless Dauntless featuring musicians such as Gary Carpenter (he of The Wicker Man Soundtrack fame) and The Attractions’ Steve Nieve.

Matt Deighton’s stunning discography is an undiscovered island inhabited by a human being everyone wants to love and protect from the world around him. Matt’s is a story of genuinely great musicianship and songwriting; but most of all, of the beauty and fragility of one of Britain’s greatest lost talents and how life around him has sometimes shaped a fate beyond his control; but who has come back with something more beautiful every time the storm abated.
Yes, Matt Deighton has returned and you probably never knew it. Well now you do; and as the Sunday Times declared – “…it’s impossible to imagine fans of Nick Drake of John Martyn not falling in love with him…”

If you’d like to send Matt a message about what his music means to you, email fans@mattdeighton.co.uk and we’ll pass it on. This address won’t send replies though, just so you know!

Management Contact: Chris Sheehan – mgmt@karouselmusic.com

Releases
Today Become Forever

Today Become Forever

Album
Villager
1995

Villager

Album
You Are The Healer
2000

You Are The Healer

Album
The Common Good
2001

The Common Good

Album
Wake Up The Moths
2003

Wake Up The Moths

Album
Kids Steal Feelings
2017

Kids Steal Feelings

Album
Doubtless Dauntless
2018

Doubtless Dauntless

Album
An Electric Blend – The Family Silver
2015

An Electric Blend – The Family Silver

Album
Soona Than Much Layta – Mother Earth
2019

Soona Than Much Layta – Mother Earth

EP
The People Tree – Mother Earth
1993

The People Tree – Mother Earth

Album
You Have Been Watching – Mother Earth
1995

You Have Been Watching – Mother Earth

Album
Around The House in 80 Days – The Bench Connection
2009

Around The House in 80 Days – The Bench Connection

Album
Bright And Guilty – The Wolfhounds
1989

Bright And Guilty – The Wolfhounds

Album