Caught in the Carousel

Matt Pond, PA

Last Light
Altitude

Summer might be fading, but Matt Pond PA keeps it alive with his September release of Last Light. His sixth record in seven years, these buoyant songs make you want to run through sprinklers or speed down the highway with the top down. Pond is a heart-on-his- sleeve singer whose often tender lyrics are countered by a jangling, upbeat brand of pop. His sound compares to ‘60s chamber pop and current indie bands like The Pernice Brothers or Pedro the Lion. But Pond himself cites much more diverse inspirations, including T-Rex, Neil Young, Herzog, picnics, white pants, allergies, and the sadness of Detroit hotel rooms.

While I admit that his sunny beats are not what I yearn for in my sometimes pensive moods, Pond’s raw lyrics give depth to the happy-go-lucky. “Taught To Look Away” rests on piano arpeggios and an almost naive sweetness that recalls the innocence of ballads from the ‘50s, while “Sunlight” which comes rife with handclaps, is another candy-pop number that would sound great played loud at any BBQ.

“Locate The Pieces” is one of the catchiest tracks here, its guitar and keyboard layering synthesizing perfectly along with an upbeat rhythm. Meditative lyrics round out the song with their more minor melodies: “The green glow of lightning bugs in the night start the sky bending sidelong…lately I can’t recognize what’s right from what is wrong.”

For me, weaker tunes include “Basement Parties” and “The Crush,” which lack the melodic hooks and lyrical maturity of the other songs, relying too much on scripted, top 40 guitar solos.

That said, Last Light is loaded with sounds that stick and songs that will give your future mixes emotional complexity.

— Alex Mattraw