This & That Mathew Holtby – Pretending

Cam Carpenter sent me the the latest track from “Pretending”Mathew Holtby. Seems he has been signed to the label ” Pacifirecords”. Spinning it on SCM the 3rd week of January 2026!

Cam writes..

Hi Gunner

Happy New Year!

I really appreciate all of your support with the artists I am lucky enough to work with.

Thank you for listening last year and lot’s more great music to come in 2026 starting with:

Mathew Holtby

“Pretending”

Just signed to Pacifirecords Canadian singer-songwriter Matthew Holtby returns with his first release of the new year “Pretending”.

Mathew Holtby

Blending indie with equal parts folk-rock and traditional singer-songwriter, Holtby crafts songs that lyrically deal with everyday life; love, loss, the passage of time and reflection. “Pretending” covers all of these bases.

“This is a song about giving yourself the advice you’d want to give others” says Holtby. “There are certain inevitabilities in life that we all must face in one form or another. I’d found myself asking the same questions for a long time, and realizing nobody was going to save me unless I faced the facts and made these choices for myself. It’s about getting over it… whatever it might be.”

The song was produced by Holtby and longtime drummer and musical partner

Terrence Craig Toutant at Matthew’s home studio in Warkworth, Ontario with additional production by Rob DeBoer. It was mixed by Chad Skinner at Half Moon Audio in Toronto.

Links

Website

Spotify Artist Page

Apple Music Artist Page

Thanks and if you need anything else please let me know.

Cam —