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Formed in 2015, under the moniker Glenn Echo, a nod to the street he grew up on, the alt-folk project by multi-instrumentalist Matt Gaydar has a deceptively intricate way of spinning acoustic guitar melodies, cozy vocal harmonies, and introspective lyrics. There’s a professional quality to Glenn Echo’s music that’s typically reserved for seasoned musicians, and listening to his debut LP, it’s easy to picture him sharing the stage with those very luminaries. After all, over the span of 12 songs, Fixed Memory plays out like a pastoral soundscape that could easily be mistaken for the work of Big Thief, Keaton Henson, or José González. The project’s first single, "Overwhelm", was featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds playlist and "Moon Seems Lost" was featured on Coffeehouse and New Acoustic Indie Folk (2020) by Indie Folk Central, and is a part of Mahogany's Chilled Acoustic compilation.
Currently working on his second album with engineer/producer Peter Brownlee, there are plans for a small ep called Sketches & Cuts due in 2023.
Press
“The acoustic singer-songwriter – who is thickly bearded, occasionally photographed sage-like, and goes by the nom de guerre Glenn Echo – released Fixed Memory, a landmark full-length debut, in 2021, in the midst of the world’s COVID-19 headaches. He has two more releases pegged for self-release this year and both of them are interesting supplements to his debut, a real dark horse for those year-ending Best Of 2021 lists.”
“Fixed Memory offers an entwining of colour and sound – in this case, alluring indie folk – that is wonderful to behold: with its intimate, subtle tones, it’s like eavesdropping on the nuanced hues of a rainbow, and I love it. Furthermore, akin to the vibrant, naturally occurring weather phenomenon, specific conditions allow its truest beauty to be revealed – that is, time and undivided attention.”
“The New York-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist creates the most enchanting chamber-folk pieces that instantly charm their way into listeners’ ears and linger thanks to their poetic beauty.”
“A sonically tender and emotionally turbulent serenade, Glenn Echo’s intimate alt-folk protest “How Much Blood” is a poignant and vulnerable outpouring of raw, heartfelt pain: A stirring reminder that our work toward a better world is far from over.”
“Glenn Echo pursues the lost embers, the seas of memories that collect our former lives in a ship of tears and stardust.”
“In the song I explore the changing of bodies overnight, like the image of roots growing, entwining, and hardening, and also the image of transitions within the self, a molting of an exterior like the metamorphosis of a butterfly.”
“It’s been years since a record has taken on a storyline and each song has been delivered with such passion.”
“Even stripped bare, Gaydar’s songs can be emotive and gratifying and gravity-defying and devastating, which is a true measure of someone’s craft in this age of crafty studio gimmicks.”
“Far from a stripped back and minimal folk record, Fixed Memory is luscious, intricate, and dense. There are so many tiny details, minutia that can be picked apart and dissected to make this album a treasure trove of soothing soundscapes to drown yourself in.”
“And that, if anything, is a beautiful summation of Fixed Memory: deep and emotive without being at all overwrought or overbearing, the LP is a work of stunning, at times even alarming, maturity and not the sort of indie-folk outing you get on a feature debut”
“For ‘Fixed Memory,’ he enlisted the help of producer-engineer Peter Brownlee, which helped Gaydar realize his vision for the album was to showcase the strong correlation between music and memories”
“he doesn’t try to resemble anyone, he seems to just be trying to be himself, inject something personal into his music and succeeds at that without a problem”
“With Fixed Memory, Gaydar embraces his new, imaginative persona as Glenn Echo and all the places it can take him.”
“Glenn Echo delivers a fluid production with equally silk-smooth vocals that will have you hooked on from the get-go”
“There’s no denying Glenn Echo’s new tune, ‘Moon Seems Lost’...immediately the tones and chords draw us in like the perfect picturesque scene to a movie.”
“Delivered with just acoustic guitar and vocals, Glenn Echo’s songwriting skills have room to prove their massive strength. The song swings to melodies that are unique, bringing the listener on a journey into a new musical space that is exciting and fresh.”
““Sporting an aesthetic likeness to Andrew Bird, ‘Hearth’ showcases a beautiful, gratifying sound”
“Mixing the heat of life with heartfelt sound, Glenn Echo is a fiery newcomer you don’t want to miss”
“It seems like Glenn Echo is telling us a secret we have to lean in to hear”