Matthew Barber

Matthew Barber, a Canadian singer and songwriter, launched his professional path in 1999 and quickly established a solid standing for delivering thoughtful rock, folk, and Americana. Born in Toronto, he initiated his recording work in Hamilton, Ontario; his second self-released effort, Means & Ends from 2002, caught the ear of the indie imprint Paper Bag Music, which gave the album a national reissue in 2003. Impressed by his intelligent and melodic folk-pop, Warner Music Canada offered a contract in 2004. The resulting major-label introduction arrived as the EP The Story of Your Life, credited to Matthew Barber & the Union Dues. After moving back to Toronto, he issued the full-length Sweet Nothing the next year, which produced the successful single “Soft One.” Ghost Notes appeared in 2008 and featured a leaner, acoustic-driven approach; the Juno-nominated set also marked his first outing for Outside Music, the same label that housed his sister, the respected jazz singer and songwriter Jill Barber. True Believer followed in 2010 with a bolder, ensemble-focused roots-rock character. His self-titled album of 2011 represented a return to earlier sensibilities: self-produced on an analog 8-track recorder, it featured Barber performing every instrument and revived his interest in 1960s and 1970s rock forms. For Big Romance in 2014 he collaborated with Jayhawks frontman Gary Louris, resulting in a collection that blended reflective, minimalist pop and understated alt-country touches. Although Matthew and Jill Barber had appeared together onstage on several occasions, The Family Album of 2016 became their initial joint studio project.