Matthew Louis Pence (born April 13, 1972) is an American recording engineer, producer, and drummer. He owns and manages The Echo Lab studio in Denton, Texas.
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Early life and education
Pence is from St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1990, Pence moved to Denton, Texas to study jazz at University of North Texas College of Music.
Career
In 1996, Pence did his first recording for a drummer friend on their record.
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. Pence is currently the full owner of The Echo Lab.
International bands from Australia, Britain, and other places, like Sweard from Spain and Horse Company from Holland, have all recorded at The Echo Lab.
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.
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.
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 2020 John Moreland album, LP5, which featured contributions from Centro-matic's Will Johnson, as well as Bonnie Whitmore and Moreland's long-time bandmate, John Calvin Abney.
In addition to his work as a drummer, producer, and engineer, Pence is a photographer.
General discography
Drummer
Adam's Farm
Camerado
Centro-matic
Dan C
Dooms U.K.
Green Hour Residency
Jason Isbell
Jay Farrar
Jonathan Tyler
Justin Townes Earle
Marie/Lepanto
Nikki Lane
Paul Cauthen
Sarah Jaffe
South San Gabriel
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
2004: Aqueduct, Pistols at Dawn EP (Barsuk 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
2006: Glossary, For What I Don’t Become (Undertow Music) – producer
2007: Robert Gomez, Brand New Towns (Bella Union) – producer
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
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
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
2003: Centro-matic, Love You Just The Same (Misra Records/Munich) – drums, engineer
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
2011: Centro-matic, Candidate Waltz (Undertow Music) – drums