Matt's Bio
We are all searching for something…
For Matt Shwachman, it is a search for melody, for motion, and for fulfillment of the mind.This search began when he was five and his mom bought him his first cassette tape, Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. He didn’t understand it at the time, but it started something – a spark of curiosity that would spend years gaining heat. Now, that spark, that longing, has forged an acoustic guitar driven-blend of pop/rock with lyrics that often tackle difficult philosophical questions.
Matt’s music style could be compared to a blend of Dave Matthews, John Mayer, U2, Coldplay and Tom Petty. Skope Magazine states that Matt’s music, “would impress fans of artists such as John Mayer, Tom Petty and Jason Mraz.”
Although his artistic vision and style took years to take shape, Matt wouldtaste success with his very first finished song. Although written years earlier, “Side of the Road” recentlytouched listeners across the country when it earned a spot on the hit TV series One Tree Hill. “When I wrote ‘Side of the Road,’ it was a moment of liberation for me,” recalls Matt. “It was one of the first times in my life that I really felt passionate about something. It’s a song about finding your own way in the world, chasing your dreams, and not letting what everyone else thinks get in the way of that.”
Despite his growing artistic success, there has been a pain gnawing at Matt. While traveling in Australia years earlier, Matt had suffered a sports injury to his neck and back, which would wind up altering the course of his life. He found little relief for his pain in the various types of treatment he encountered. Matt’s search eventually and inevitably led him to spirituality and personal transformation. There was suddenly a bigger picture and deeper meaning to his life, and a newfound urgency to seek out this fulfillment for which he had always been searching. “For me, it was a matter of changing my point of view and seeing my challenges as opportunities to grow,” he says. “And it is in those moments when I do confront my challenges head on that I feel most alive."
Upon this realization, the floodgates opened, and before he knew what he was writing, he had most of the material for his sophmore album, Uncharted Territory. It is a personal account touching on love, relationships, transformation, existentialism, and spirituality. It was recorded in Dover, New Hampshire, at Waterway Studios under the production of Andrew Gallagher. “Uncharted Territory is a journey about the process, not the end result,” Matt says. “We are all ever-evolving, changing and growing people. It is this growth process that brings fulfillment, and in order to attain any sense of it, it must be earned.”
Indeed, Matt’s efforts have been earning him some attention as of late. He recently picked up two local awards as write in winner for Best New Album and Best Singer Songwriter. He has also seen his music do well in the AAA format. Shwachman has found his music alongside some industry greats such as OAR, Amy Winehouse, Widespread Panic & Sister Hazel on Jim Nelson’s renowned “A Taste of Triple A” samplers.
College Radio and several TV appearances seem to have industry people taking notice, as Matt has had his music played on over 125 college radio stations. CMJ, the college radio industry's top trade magazine, recently stated, “Acoustic-wielding, Boston-Based singer songwriter Matt Shwachman will be giving established heart-melters like One Republic and Five For Fighting a run for their money when he performs a brief handful of East Coast dates this month and makes an appearance on the tri-state area’s (Delaware, New Jersey, and Philly) The Tim Qualls Show.” The next television stop for Shwachman is the Comcast/CN-8’s Backstage with Barry Nolan, which is televised in over 10 million homes in 12 states along the East Coast.
Radio is not the only place Matt has been earning his keep. Matt recently recruited guitarist Mike Fiore, bassist Hugh Allen, and drummer Dana Bonardi to form the Matt Shwachman Band (MSB). Matt and company have played many of New England’s top club venues including The Hard Rock Café Boston (MA), which recent show drew over 300 fans. Other notable venues include, T.T. the Bear’s Place (MA), Harpers Ferry (MA), Sullivan Hall (NYC), Arlene’s Grocery (NYC), Doc Watson’s (PA), and the Grog & Tankard (D.C.) to name a few. Next up, in addition to the normal club calendar, MSB will be doing a residency gig this fall, playing every Friday night at Worcester, MA hot spot Club Fusion.
