[rating=8.00]
Matt Pond PA has maintained a somewhat ubiquitous presence. Who is this Matt Pond anyway? Is it a handle that appropriates the name of some obscure historical figure like that of Jethro Tull? And what’s with the PA? A practicing attorney? I mean, we all kind of know that ambiguity doesn’t really meld too well with the decidedly down to earth notions that define rock ‘n’ roll overall.
By choice, Matt Pond — or Matthew Pond as he’s listed in the song and production credits — is pretty much inseparable from the band that bears his names. Members have come and gone over the years, leaving guitarist Christopher Hansen the only constant aside from Pond himself. One might imagine the alumni resented the anonymity associated with being in a band that takes its handle from the name of its leader. Then again, after nine albums and innumerable EPs, Matt Pond PA has clearly demonstrated its mettle, continually moving forward over the course of the past decade while attempting to make their name — his name — in a crowded indie field where the ability to simply get attention is no small accomplishment. And indeed, the band’s drawn some impressive kudos and an even more impressive fan base in those ten years of existence.
The State of Gold, for all the sunny allusions its title seems to suggest, isn’t the be all and end all as far as Pond appreciation is concerned. The group’s earlier albums are each so exceptional that hearing just one and expecting it to supersede all the others doesn’t do the catalogue justice. However the new album does affirm something the group’s followers have known all along, and that is that this outfit is uncommonly astute when it comes to providing a sound so melodic, it’s instantly engaging at the outset. Superior songs accompanied by effortless arrangements make Matt Pond PA clear contenders in the soft rock sweepstakes and well worth the time it takes to discover the sonic treasures they have to offer.
Nevertheless, The State of Gold is as assertive as anything the band’s ever offered. “More No More” and “Take Me With You” provide a forward momentum that belies the sheer melodious in the music, while the kinetic pulse applied to “Emptiness,” “History of Canada” and “Don’t Look Down” suggest that the band’s thrusters have been notched up to peak performance. Even the album’s mellower moments manage to maintain that momentum, as evidenced by the elusive beauty captured in songs like “The State of Gold, Pt. 1” and “Spaceland,” not to mention the shimmer and shine inherent in the effusive “A Second Lasts a Second.” Likewise, when the band takes an anthemic stance on a track like “Four Eyes,” suffice it to say the call to arms is all but irresistible.
It would be entirely too tempting to sum things up by saying The State of Gold shines in a special way, so we’ll resist the impulse to label it as such. However it is a gem in the truest sense, an album that boasts such broad appeal it merits whatever attention it might garner. There’s no better way to put it. You’d be denying yourself a real treasure should you decide to ignore it.
