matt pond PA – The Nature Of Maps
(Polyvinyl)

Let’s get one misconception out of the way right off the bat: matt pond PA is not a solo project. It is simply a band started by a guy named Matt Pond, and although he writes and sings the lyrics and also plays guitar, each of the other members are equally responsible for the band’s output. On their latest recording, the band includes five other musicians in addition to Pond: two cellists, a second guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer who also plays vibraphone and keyboards. Then there’s some guest musicians on top of that (including Margaret White of Sparklehorse on violins).

The Nature Of Maps, matt pond PA’s fourth full length recording, takes us on a geographical journey across musical hills and valleys, rivers and oceans. They are clearly an indie rock band who have matured beyond the noise and angst of punk rock, and instead have focused their attention on creating atmosphere and emotion in their songs. This is not to say that they don’t have any energy or intensity in their playing, but the band has a beautiful orchestral sound that results from the refined instrumentation and heartfelt melodies.

Influences such as The Cure and later Beatles can be heard here, and maybe even a little bit of Pavement somewhere in the mix too. From the opening track, Fairlee, with its driving rhythm and melancholy guitar strains, to the uplifting folk balladry of Athabasca, The Nature Of Maps presents numerous lush sounds melded together into a musical experience that radiates honesty and warmth. Perhaps my favourite song is the plaintive Summer Is Coming, which builds from faint vibraphone and cello echoes into a crescendo of strings and soaring vocals.

This is an ambitious album and it rarely falters in its musicianship, although it does require a patient ear to appreciate it completely. There is not much else being done quite like this in the indie rock world right now. It’s not angry, it’s not raw, it’s not edgy … rather it is soothing and refreshing, and with each listen it becomes more and more enjoyable. — Sean