matthewpop1

Matthew Pop

 POP!  POP rules the day! exclaimed Matt DeGroat when asked
about his name.  In the wake of his departure from his former musical
identity as lead singer and guitarist of the heralded New York indie
band the Oggs, Matt's bold career move and rebirth as Matthew Pop didn't surprise anyone familiar with his work.  From live-for-the-moment anthems of reckless youth to angst-filled tales of doomed late-night love, Matthew's songs have always had more twists and turns than a John Grisham spy novel.  One moment, he's showing the sensitive inner man, backing his intimate lyrics with delicate acoustic guitar textures and then he Jeckyll and Hydes you with some close-the-shutters and lock-up-your-daughters rock and roll.

Maybe it was the long hours spent composing in his Brooklyn apartment
just across the river from the venerated song writing traditions of Tin
Pan Alley and the Brill Building.  Maybe it was the proximity to the
hallowed sites where the stages of the old Fillmore East and CBGBs
spewed fire and innovation with every concert.  Wherever his
inspiration came from, Matthew Pop emerged as an old-school
tunesmith, someone who approached the craft of song writing with one
simple edict: If you can't walk away singing the tune after just one
listen, it ain't worth the digital medium it was recorded on.

Writing, recording, and performing since he was fourteen, Matthew is
finally beginning to win the acclaim and attention that his archives of
over two-hundred well-crafted songs deserves.  Two of them, "Get It
On" in 2004 and "Belgium Baby" in 2005, were finalists in the pop category
of the John Lennon song writing competition and MTV's The Real World
featured "Get It On" in several of their episodes.  Strongly influenced
by a mix of classic and contemporary artists like the Beatles, Elvis
Costello, and Radiohead, critics have often compared Matthew to the
likes of Thom Yorke, Elliott Smith, Weezer, and the Eels.  A
dynamic, swaggering, live performer, Matthew, who never lacks for
self-confidence, proudly attributes his stage prowess to two basic
qualities: I got more hooks in my songs than a bait and tackle
shop, and chicks dig me.

When not sitting on myspace.com all day, he currently
can be seen performing with his new five piece band in prestigious New
York area clubs like Southpaw, The Hook, Warsaw, Pianos, and Maxwells, as well as playing solo gigs in the region's acoustic venues.  Having recently completed a successful tour of the Southeast and a highly regarded performance as the opening act for Sire Records' Regina Spektor at the Cabaret de la Musee in Montreal, Matthew's attention is now focused on his new album,"The Great Demise", on which he wrote, co-produced, arranged
all the material and played all the instruments.  If you long for the days
of unforgettable melodies and lyrics you can't get out of your
head,the kind that torment you in the shower and have you embarrassing yourself singing in public places, you better get popped!!!