American record producer and drummer
Matt Pence
Matt Pence at Echo Lab working on record by
True Widow Birth name Matthew Louis Pence Born (1972-04-13 ) April 13, 1972 (age 51)
St. Louis ,
Missouri U.S.Genres Occupation(s) Years active 1996–present Labels Website
mattpence .com
Musical artist
Matthew Louis Pence (born April 13, 1972) is an American recording engineer, producer, and drummer.
[1] He owns and manages The Echo Lab studio in
Denton, Texas .
[2]
[3]
Early life and education
Pence is from
St. Louis ,
Missouri .
[3]
In 1990, Pence moved to
Denton, Texas to study jazz at
University of North Texas College of Music .
[3]
Career
In 1996, Pence did his first recording for a drummer friend on their record.
[3]
In 1999, musician and mastering engineer Dave Willingham created The Echo Lab studio outside the woods in
Denton, Texas . In 2006, Pence and musician / engineer Matthew Barnhart became co-owners with Willingham of his Echo Lab studio.
[2]
[4] Pence is currently the full owner of The Echo Lab.
[5]
International bands from Australia, Britain, and other places, like Sweard from Spain and Horse Company from Holland, have all recorded at The Echo Lab.
[3]
From 1997 until 2014, Pence played drums in the alternative country band
Centro-matic . He was also the drummer in the Centro-matic-fueled band,
South San Gabriel .
[6]
Pence has also had a long-time collaboration with musician
Sarah Jaffe , co-producing her 2011 record,
The Way Sound Leaves a Room and her 2017 record, Bad Baby , as well as touring with Jaffe as her drummer.
[7]
In 2004, Pence mixed
American Music Club 's album called
Love Songs For Patriots . He also recorded the song "Song Of The Rats Leaving The Sinking Ship".
Pence produced the forthcoming 2020 record by
John Moreland , called LP5 , which will feature contributions from Centro-matic's
Will Johnson , as well as Bonnie Whitmore and Moreland's long-time bandmate,
John Calvin Abney .
[8]
In addition to his work as a drummer, producer, and engineer, Pence is a photographer.
[9]
Honors
2011: Dallas Observer Music Awards, Producer of the Year (nominee)
[10]
2017: Dallas Observer Music Awards, Best Drummer
[11]
General discography
Drummer
Production
Selected discography
2001:
Midlake , Milkmaid Grand Army EP (self-released) – recorded by, mixed by
2001:
Jay Farrar ,
Sebastopol (
Artemis Records ) – drums, percussion
2002:
Lewis , Even So (
Deep Elm Records ) – engineer
[13]
2004:
Aqueduct ,
Pistols at Dawn EP (
Sub Pop Records ) – producer, drums
2004:
American Music Club ,
Love Songs For Patriots (
Merge Records /Devil in the Woods/Cooking Vinyl) – mixer
2004:
Brave Combo ,
Let's Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album (Dentone Records) – engineer
2006:
The Drams , Jubilee Dive (
New West Records ) – producer, photography
[14]
2006:
Glossary , For What I Don’t Become (
Undertow Music ) – producer
[15]
2007:
Robert Gomez , Brand New Towns (
Bella Union ) – producer
[16]
2009:
Midlake , Acts of Man CD single (
Bella Union ) – mixed by
2009:
Midlake , The Courage of Others EP (
Bella Union ) – mixed by
2009:
Jason Isbell ,
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit (Lightning Rod Records) – producer
[17]
2009:
Jason Molina and
Will Johnson ,
Molina and Johnson (
Secretly Canadian ) – recording engineer, drums
2009:
Monsters of Folk (
Conor Oberst ,
Jim James ,
Mike Mogis ,
M. Ward ),
Monsters of Folk (
Shangri-La Music ,
Rough Trade Records ) – mixer
[18]
2010:
Glossary , Feral Fire (Liberty & Lament) – producer
2010:
The Foxymorons , Bible Stories (self-released) – producer
[19]
2010:
Micah P. Hinson , Micah P. Hinson And The "Pioneer Saboteurs" (Houston Party Records) – co-producer, mixed by, mastered by, backgrounds
2010:
John Grant ,
Queen of Denmark (
Bella Union ) – mastering, mixing
2011:
Sarah Jaffe ,
The Way Sound Leaves a Room (Kirtland Records) – engineer, co-producer
2011:
True Widow , As High As the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth (Kemado Records) – producer
2012:
Dodgy ,
Stand Upright in a Cool Place (Strike Back Records) – mixing
2012:
Jens Lekman ,
I Know What Love Isn't (
Service /
Secretly Canadian ) – mixing
2012:
Jay Farrar ,
Will Johnson ,
Anders Parker , and
Yim Yames :
New Multitudes (
Rounder Records ) – mixing
2013:
True Widow ,
Circumambulation (
Relapse Records ) – producer
2013:
Cody Jinks , Blacksheep EP (Late August Records) – drums
2013:
Sean Nelson , Make Good Choices (Really Records) – drums
2014:
Justin Townes Earle ,
Single Mothers (
Vagrant Records ,
Loose Music ) – drums
2014: The Bigsbys, Good Will Suitcase (Shiner Records) – producer
[20]
2014: Collin Herring, Some Knives (self-released) – producer
[21]
2015:
Becca Stevens , Perfect Animal (Universal Music Classics) – mixed by
2015:
The Foxymorons , Fake Yoga (Foxyphoton) – producer
[22]
2015: Denim Wonder (aka Daniel Hopkins, Carnation (self-released) – producer
[23]
2015:
Justin Townes Earle ,
Absent Fathers (
Vagrant Records ,
Loose Music ) – drums
2015:
Redeye , The Memory Layers (Lafolie Records/Microcultures) – producer
[24]
2016: Rodney Parker, Bomber Heights (self-released) – producer
[25]
2016:
Midlake , The Trials Of Van Occupanther single (
Bella Union ) – "The Fairest Way" / "Festival" mixed by, mastered by
2017:
Nikki Lane ,
Highway Queen (
New West Records ) – drums, engineer, percussion, producer
2017:
BNQT , Volume 1 (
Dualtone Records ) – mixed by, mastered by
2017:
Lift to Experience ,
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads (
Bella Union ) – engineer, mixing
[26]
2017:
Sarah Jaffe , Bad Baby (Kirtland Records) – producer
[7]
2017: Tomkat, Icarus (self-released) – producer
[27]
2018:
Josh T. Pearson , The Straight Hits! (Mute) – engineer
[28]
2018: Claire Morales, All That Wanting (self-released) – engineer
[29]
2018:
Maps & Atlases ,
Lightlessness Is Nothing New (
Barsuk Records ) – mastering
2018:
Elle King ,
Shake the Spirit (
RCA Records ) – co-producer
2018:
John Grant , Love Is Magic (
Bella Union ) – drum programming, engineering, additional production by
2018:
Paul Cauthen , Have Mercy EP (Lightning Rod Records) – engineer
2019:
Paul Cauthen , Room 41 (Lightning Rod Records) – mixed by
2019: E.B. the Younger, To Each His Own (
Bella Union ) – engineer, mixing, executive producer, drums, percussion
[30]
2020:
John Moreland , LP5 (
Thirty Tigers ) – producer
[8]
[31]
2021:
Fishboy , Waitsgiving (
Lauren Records )- drums, mixing
[32]
Centro-matic and associated projects
1995:
Centro-matic ,
Redo the Stacks (Steve Records) – co-producer with
Will Johnson , drums
1999:
Centro-matic ,
Navigational (Idol Records) – co-producer with
Will Johnson , drums
1999:
Centro-matic ,
The Static vs. The Strings Vol. 1 (Idol/Quality Park) – drums
2000:
Centro-matic ,
All the Falsest Hearts Can Try (Idol/Quality Park/Munich) – drums
2000:
South San Gabriel ,
South San Gabriel Songs/Music (Idol/Munich) – drums
2001:
Centro-matic , Distance and Clime (Idol/Munich) – drums
2002:
South San Gabriel ,
Welcome, Convalescence (Munich/
Undertow Music ) – drums, keyboards
2002:
Will Johnson ,
Murder of Tides (
Undertow Music ) – producer
[33]
2003:
Centro-matic ,
Love You Just The Same (
Misra Records /Munich) – drums, engineer
[34]
2005:
South San Gabriel ,
The Carlton Chronicles: Not Until the Operation's Through (Misra/Munich/Houston Party) – drums
2006:
Centro-matic ,
Fort Recovery (album) (
Misra Records ) – drums
2008:
Centro-matic /
South San Gabriel ,
Dual Hawks (Misra/
Cooking Vinyl /Houston Party) – drums
[35]
2011:
Centro-matic , Candidate Waltz (Undertow Music) – drums
[36]
2012:
Will Johnson , Scorpion (
Undertow Music ) – producer
[37]
2014:
Centro-Matic , Take Pride in Your Long Odds (Navigational Transmissions) – engineer, producer
[38]
See also
References
^ Hopkins, Daniel (30 August 2012).
"Seven of the Best Drummers in DFW" . Dallas Observer .
^
a
b Firstley, Ashley-Crystal (16 September 2010).
"Recording studio gives bands creative freedom" . North Texas Daily .
^
a
b
c
d
e Jones, Abby (4 May 2017).
"Little studio in the woods" . North Texas Daily . p. 6 – via Issuu.
^ Sims, Dave (29 May 2008).
"The Echo Lab Is An Extension Of Denton's Scene" . Dallas Observer .
^ Willingham, David (2 June 2012).
"David Willingham: About" . 70 hurtz audio . Retrieved 13 November 2019 .
^ Freeman, Doug (12 December 2014).
"Centro-Matic Packs It In" . The Austin Chronicle .
^
a
b Dearmore, Kelly (5 July 2017).
"4 musical stages of Sarah Jaffe, in honor of her excellent new album 'Bad Baby' " . The Dallas Morning News .
^
a
b Trigger (18 October 2019).
"John Moreland Announces New Album "LP5" – Releases New Song" . Saving Country Music .
^
"Matt Pence & Will Johnson Photo + Art Show" . Undertow Music . 6 August 2009.
^ Freedman, Pete (19 October 2011).
"DOMAXXIII: Announcing Your 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards Winners..." Dallas Observer .
^ North, Caroline (6 December 2017).
"The 2017 Dallas Observer Music Awards Winners" . Dallas Observer .
^ Blackstock, Peter (25 August 2018).
"This week's music picks: Graham Reynolds, Flynt Flossy, Carolina Story" . Austin American-Statesman .
^ Sutlief, Shannon (20 June 2002).
"Even Handed" . Dallas Observer .
^ Guarino, Mark (31 August 2006).
"The Drams - Back from the Bone break" . No Depression . No. 65.
^ Fahy, James P. (20 November 2006).
"Band of the Week: Glossary" . Paste Magazine .
^ Freeman, Doug (20 April 2007).
"Robert Gomez: Brand New Towns Album Review" . The Austin Chronicle .
^ Dansby, Andrew (1 February 2009).
"Q&A: Jason Isbell" . Lone Star Music Magazine .
^ Powell, Austin (8 October 2010).
"The Sound and the Fury: Austin's own Monster of Folk, Will Johnson" . The Austin Chronicle .
^
"MP3 At 3PM: The Foxymorons" . Magnet Magazine . 2 October 2010.
^ Dearmore, Kelly (1 March 2014).
"The Bigsbys: "Good Will Suitcase" " . Lone Star Music Magazine .
^ Caligiuri, Jim (23 May 2014).
"Collin Herring" . The Austin Chronicle .
^ Dearmore, Kelly (4 November 2015).
"Foxymorons Are a Local Band Who Aren't Really Local and Kind of Not Even a Band" . Dallas Observer .
^ Jones, Preston (4 November 2015).
"Lone Star Sounds: New music from Denim Wonder" .
^ Basedow, Neph (21 August 2015).
"Redeye: The Memory Layers Album Review" . The Austin Chronicle .
^ Mooney, Thomas (19 September 2016).
"Q&A: Rodney Parker" . Lone Star Music Magazine .
^ Wood, Marie (2 March 2017).
"Interview "This is for the love of the art": DiS Meets Lift To Experience" . DrownedInSound . Archived from
the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019 .
^ Breeding, Lucinda (11 October 2017).
"With first album, Denton's Tomkat ready for prime time" . Denton Record-Chronicle .
^ Dearmore, Kelly (10 April 2018).
"Former Denton musician Josh T. Pearson debuts new record on Friday the 13th ... before mankind is wiped out" . The Dallas Morning News .
^ Smith, Nathan (24 August 2016).
"Spotlight On… Claire Morales" . Texas Music Magazine . No. 67.
^
"E.B. The Younger announces debut album "To Each His Own" " (Press release) . Bella Union . 2019.
^ Irons, Aaron (10 October 2019).
"Still Belonging: John Moreland Shares Details On New Album" . Sound & Soul of Central Georgia .
^
"Matt Pence | Credits" . AllMusic . Retrieved 2023-07-18 .
^ Chamy, Michael (1 November 2002).
"Will Johnson: Murder of Tides Album Review" . The Austin Chronicle .
^ Chamy, Michael (12 September 2003).
"Centro-Matic Reviewed" . The Austin Chronicle .
^
"Field of Dreams: A nine-inning sampler of Johnson's best songs" . The Austin Chronicle . 8 October 2010.
^ Markel, Jim (2011).
"Centro-matic: Candidate Waltz" . Swampland .
^ Mongillo, Peter (11 September 2012).
"Will Johnson calls on longtime bandmate for solo effort" . Austin American-Statesman .
^ Kelly, Jennifer (2 September 2014).
"Beating the Odds: Centro-Matic" . Blurt Magazine .
Further reading
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Matt Pence .