Matthew Pickering is a lover of words and a scribe of histories. By day, he works in parliament documenting the aural history of the government as a Hansard Editor. His main passion however, is putting into song form the little events and idiosyncrasies of Wellington and the people who inhabit it.
On 1 October, Pickering is releasing his third musical offering, Up at the Bunkers - a lovely, considered, seven-song collection that speaks of couch-surfers, seaside adventures, gatherings of friends and other tales.
His music follows a strong folk tradition of storytelling, neatly presented in an acoustic cocoon of banjos, deft fingerpicked guitar, fiddle, accordion and clever piano melodies.
Pickering draws influence from the likes of M. Ward, Tim Buckley and Joanna Newsom and sometimes reminds of a male Laura Veirs. His songs are warm and intimate laced with small details, filmic imagery (especially in the instrumental For Mr Satie) and an earnest and refreshingly honest voice.
