Matthew J. Tow


Matthew J. Tow is an Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Perhaps best known as the singer and guitarist of 1990s Sydney indie band Drop City, Tow currently fronts international neo-psychedelic rockers The Lovetones.
Rolling Stone hailed Matthew J. Tow's songwriting as being worthy of Ray Davies, Bowie, Lennon and McCartney.

Splash

Matthew's first experience as a recording artist came with early 1990s Sydney indie band Splash, who released a 4 track EP titled Pendulum in 1991. The Tow-Mclean songwriting partnership would spill over onto early Drop City releases.

Drop City

Matthew formed Drop City in Sydney, Australia at the beginning of 1993. Later that year they recorded their first album A Revolution Of Purely Private Expectations which was released on the Red Eye label through Polydor in 1994. Two more albums were to follow; Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and, Chiaroscuro. After 4 well received full-length LP's, a handful of EP's, 2 Big Day Out appearances and tour support for artists such as The Stone Roses, Stereolab, Yo La Tengo and Manic Street Preachers, Drop City disbanded in late 2000 amid what Tow described as a 'tidal wave of indifference'.
Drop City Discography:
AlbumYearLabel
A Revolution Of Purely Private Expectations1994Red Eye Records, Polydor
Magic Transistor Radio1995Red Eye Records, Polydor
This Heavenly Machine1997Red Eye Records, Polydor
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow1999Third Stone
The New Situation2000Rayman Recordings

Colorsound

In 1994, Tow recorded a solo album You’re Only As Good As Your Sound under the moniker of Colorsound which was picked up by Summershine Records in Australia. The following year it was released in the US on Sub Pop. He has since released a further 4 albums in this guise. These releases are typically instrumental and far more experimental than Matthews other projects.
Colorsound Discography:
AlbumYearLabel
You're Only As Good As Your Sound1994Summershine Records
Soundtrack For An Imaginary Life1998Spaceage Recordings
Auspicious Beginnings2001Third Stone
You're Only As Good As Your Sound2002Rayman Recordings
Kaleides Into Me2003Rayman Recordings
A Higher Station2004Rayman Recordings

Brian Jonestown Massacre

In 2003 Matthew had the opportunity to join long-time friend Anton Newcombe and his legendary San Francisco based psychedelic outfit The Brian Jonestown Massacre, touring the United States and the UK with them for 3 months as a guitarist. He also contributed 2 songs to their 2003 album '...And This is Our Music'. Tow's opening track "Starcleaner" later also appeared on the BJM retrospective Tepid Peppermint Wonderland.

The Lovetones

The Lovetones released their debut album, Be What You Want, in 2002 through Bomp! Records. The album was reviewed in Creem and Rolling Stone magazine. The second album, Meditations, was released through New York's Tee Pee Records in late 2005. Returning from shows in the US in late 2005 and also at SXSW 2006, The Lovetones toured to support Meditations Australian release in May 2006. In June 2006 The Lovetones completed a European tour across 12 countries with The Brian Jonestown Massacre in support of Meditations, released there through Tee Pee/Cargo Records, culminating in an album review in respected UK magazine Uncut. The Lovetones performed a reunion show in Sydney on 31 July 2015.
The Lovetones also recorded their third album,
Axiom, during 2006 with sessions split between Figment Studios in Hollywood and the Sydney Opera House Recording Studio. The new album was released in June 2007 through Tee Pee Records.
The Lovetones Discography:'
AlbumYearLabel
Be What You Want2003Committee To Keep Music Evil / Yep! Records
Meditations2005Tee Pee Records / Yep! Records
Axiom2007Tee Pee Records / Yep! Records
Dimensions2009Planting Seeds Records
Lost2010Planting Seeds Records
Provenance - Collected Works2012Yep! Records, Undercover Music

Personal life

Matthew is married and lives in Sydney, Australia.

His first solo album, The Way of Things, was released in February 2013 and the follow up 'Shadows' Reign' released in 2016 by Xemu Records