ABOUT
M.E. Baird (Matthew Ede Baird) is a remarkable and mysterious talent. He is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, musician, and prize-winning visual artist whose art is as unique and captivating as his music. From his deep lamenting voice to his beguiling but unashamedly dark songwriting to his intricate, thought-provoking artworks and paintings, M.E. Baird is an artist in every sense. Originally from Melbourne, M.E. Baird has lived in many places, each a unique chapter in his life and art, and has been based in Bundjalung Country, New South Wales, Australia for the last decade.
LATEST RELEASE
'SPINNING MAN'
A SIX-TRACK SONG AND SONIC JOURNEY BY M.E. BAIRD WITH JAMIE TREVASKIS.
Spinning Man was conceived, written and recorded under extraordinary circumstances and represents some of M.E. Baird's most candid songs yet. With Spinning Man, M.E. Baird and Jamie Trevaskis have created and recorded an astonishing set of songs and soundscapes comprising this left-of-centre, immersive, cinematic recording.
Find out more about Spinning Man.
PRESS QUOTES
"There is a haunting quality to M.E. Baird’s music, a type of dark folk and blues noir that permeates the songs. Baird knows how to balance the beauty successfully and the despair on 'Time' and as a result, this is an album that should fit nicely in the record collections of fans of songwriters such as Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave."
★★★★ - The Music (Australia)
"The slowly developing, intimately held tracks, which are neither folk, nor country, but maybe a Cohen/Cave-inspired interpretation of both, are meant for the small, dark, alone spaces of your life. Being also a visual artist, there is no surprise that his songs are often described as possessing a distinct visual richness and depth where each song can be like cinematic vignettes."
★★★★ - Sydney Morning Herald
"Deeply emotive, whether in the carefully crafted lyrics, the music itself, or his deep lamenting singular voice, emotion drips from everywhere, it trickles down walls and pools on the floor. It aches and hurts...and it’s beautiful."
★★★★ - Rythmns Magazine
"His songs are visually rich possessing a novelistic quality that is dark and warm. The music of M.E. Baird cajoles and challenges.
Images flow and tunes beguile. A treat."
★★★★ - The Music Collective
"Baird speaks of lost loves and scarred hearts, and while he paints life in a harsh light, he still finds something to hold onto, be it a memory or dream not yet faded. This dark folk at its finest, sad, bitter, and beautiful."
★★★★ - The Brag Magazine, Sydney
"M.E. Baird's live performances are nothing short of compelling with his deep lamenting vocal style and singular stage presence."
Holden Hill Music
MUSIC & ART BACKGROUND
M.E. Baird began his musical career in Melbourne in the late 1980s s as part of the inner city Melbourne post-punk, rock and folk scene before leaving Australia for the UK and Europe in 1998. He returned home and relocated to Sydney in 2000 to pursue an academic career in art and design. His music career would go on the back burner until 2004 when he returned to Melbourne and began writing songs, recording and rereleasing music again. Back in Melbourne, he would go on to write and record four critically acclaimed solo albums including numerous recordings with other bands. His biggest accolades, however, would come under the assumed musical nome de plume of 'Lionel Lee', a binge-drinking, bar-brawling gothic country wanderer with his band of ravaged vagrants known as the Lionel Lee Three and Lionel Lee's Curse. Sadly, Lionel's time would come to an abrupt and tragic end. But that is a whole other story. M.E. Baird has also contributed songs and composed original soundtrack work for film and television. More recently he has expanded his art/music practice into short audio-visual projects combining his music and images including seeking new and interesting collaborations with other creatives. M.E. Baird also offers a broad and diverse range of skills and know-how for music production and mentoring.
As a visual artist, M.E. Baird has won several prizes and exhibited widely. He was recently awarded 1st place in the Maritime Art Prize, Australia (2023), with his piece The Loner from the Ghost Boat series. M.E. Baird has a formal background in art, architecture, and design, including art direction for film, television, and digital media. He has also held academic and teaching scholar roles across multiple disciplines at various art and design schools and universities in New South Wales and Victoria. Although no longer an academic, M.E. Baird is available to conduct workshops and presentations on creative thinking, theory and process.