It’s highly likely that if the legendary John Peel were still with us today, he would hold The Figurants and their frontman, Matt McClure, in a very special place within his vast heart. Take, for instance, the title track and opener of their recently released album, Recurring Orphans, and you’ll instantly understand why. Matt McClure’s music exudes an abrasive and unapologetically lo-fi, fuzz-rock sound, infused with a hint of new wave vibes reminiscent of Guided By Voices at their peak, blended with the essence of Pavement and The Halo Benders, all with a dash of Superchunk’s energy. His artistic soul seems to belong to a different time and space altogether, somewhere between the vibrant eras of the ’80s and ’90s. Those were times when we eagerly scoured fanzines to discover the next big band, a far cry from today’s Bandcamp Fridays and Spotify’s well-curted/paid(!) editorial playlists.
McClure and his music are a testament to the enduring spirit of that era, and it’s heartening to see this legacy continue today.
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