Customer Reviews

Emblems

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Emblems" has exceeded even my highest expectations and standards for not only MPPA as a band, but for Matt Pond himself as a songwriter and frontman of one of the most complex and outstanding groups in the genre. First and foremost, this band has matured at an alarmingly exponential rate throughout the years over a span of 4 full-length LP's and an EP, expanding on their musical abilities and experimenting with different sounds, as well as meshing together as an orchestra of mature, well-produced sounds of love, nature, and well being. Now with its latest offering on Altitude Records, which is without a doubt their strongest and most moving material yet, MPPA definitely kick things up by adding a very tasteful upbeat and fresh feeling to the new songs, which seem to pack the same punch that the standout tracks on their previous effort, "The Nature of Maps" had, but also seem more lush and mature than their past attempts. Its no argument that this is also the most well-produced release to date, which was also to my surprise, for I was a little skeptical when hearing the news that this would be released under a new label and not Polyvinyl, but to my pleasant surprise, every aspect of this CD, from its packaging to its layout to the production itself, I am overly impressed with Altitude Records' finished product, and I am once again reminded why Matt Pond PA is an untouchable force in the singer/songwriter genre, and there is no chance that he will go unnoticed by eyes and ears from all over for much longer. I don't care if its too early to give out my unofficial pick for record of the year, because this is all I'll need to hear for the rest of the year to be happy anyway. Do yourself a favor and become a fan today if you're not already, it won't be hard.

I picked up matt pond PA after hearing "Grave's Disease" on insound.com. If you want to sample more of matt pond PA, they have a generous helping of downloadable .mp3's on their own website.

In any case, Emblems blows me away. At first I thought I wouldn't be too into MPPA, because wouldn't consider myself very into "nature rock." Nature is present inside of Emblems, but it's very subtle, generally references to seasons. But I like how self-referential the band is. Recurring themes are played out through the album and earlier albums, keep an ear of for repeated lyrics in different songs.

"The Butcher" is my favorite track on the CD, closely followed "Summer (Butcher Two)" and "Kc." "Kc" rocks out in an spooky way I can't describe, but it's a fitting opening to the album. I definitely have favorites on the CD, but I don't think there are any weak tracks. Buy it and enjoy.

A wonderful, wonderful album. Not a bad song on the cd. The lyrics are thought provoking, the music warm and enjoyable. matt pond PA, as on their previous album, have made an album not just for fans of "indie" bands, but one that any music fan will enjoy. They know thier way around a catchy hook, while not giving anything up lyrically. Fans of matt pond PA must have this album. One of my top 5 albums for 2005.

This is such an enjoyable record. The sense of melody & harmony is amazing, the instrumentation and arrangements keep everything interesting, and I always come back for multiple listens. Matt Pond pa's songs (on all their records) are just material that sticks with you long after the disc stops spinning. There are relatively few records I can honestly say I make it all the way through and turn right around and listen to again, but this is one of them. Acoustic guitars serve as the material's central focus, but they're not strummed in the plain, singer/songwriter way that's overly used and abused. The use of rhythms is intriguingly different, and each song has a wonderful sense of scope to suck you in. The acoustics are supplemented with tasteful electric guitars, cello (her parts are always interesting and memorable), rhodes, organs, keyboards, and a fantastic rhythm section. You can always walk away from one of these songs with no less than a dozen melodies in your head, be it the vocals, the cello, the guitars, whatever. If beautiful, catchy "chamber pop" even intrigues you a little, go for this record. It's a great place to start with their material, and in my opinion tops the last record (The Nature of Maps, which I absolutely loved).

At first listen, you'd swear that Matt Pond was just a pseudonym for Peter Gabriel; the similarity of their voices on several of the songs on this album is startling. This is music that builds; Pond's voice is one of many instruments used to construct a series of richly textured songs. Another of the band's five members is a cello player; her work adds a unique sound to the album, driving forward many songs with an intensity that only an instrument played with a bow can. The lyrics are deeply personal-surely some of the events related here actually happened to Pond-and the music suits this. Lush and layered, it cradles Pond's words and emphasizes them. This is probably the least-known and lowest-selling record I bought in 2004-but it deserves a much wider audience. It's only $10!

Just downright good music. I heard about this from my brother in law, have had this album for several years now, and love it still.

Everyone I've ever showed this band to fell in love with them. Emblems was my first introduction to them, and its perfect. I love the arpeggio guitar, the cello i mean c'mon a cello? This is classy stuff. Saw them in northhampton, ma in a small place, they were awesome and matt pond is a pretty funny guy. The lyrics are pure poety and quite beautiful. I also love when they sometimes use dissonant notes that battle each other, breaking out of the mold.

Sadly, I was introduced to Matt Pond by the OC--maybe that doesn't do much for my indie-cred, but the song, "New Hampshire" caught my ear and lodged itself in my head after hearing it only once . . . The rest of the album is equally impressive: poetic lyrics, interesting melodies and a unique sound. Favorites include the aforementioned "New Hampshire," "Closest (Look Out)" and "Bring on the Ending." If you like singer-songwriter artists like Joseph Arthur or Damien Rice, you'll like MPPA. Do yourself a favor and buy this album--you won't be sorry!

Matt Pond's songs make feel like I am in the cool northern woods during the summer. The songs are vibrant, beautiful and full of life. Each song is amazingly layered with a huge variety of instruments all converging to create warm and inviting songs. Pond's unique voice pulls the listener along for a rewarding experience. Some songs are exuberant such as "Closest" and "Claire" while others are laid back and meloncholy, "Last Song". Pond shows more variety in terms of tempo and emotion, than he has shown on other releases. However, the artful, perfectly composed sound is never compromised on Emblems. Pond wonderfully drawns in the listener, and the result is quite warm and rewarding.

This is a very good record. I had only read a review and purchased it at Tower for ~$9.00 - it's hard to describe or compare it, but suffice it to write that it's a haunting album of simply-composed, neatly executed gems. There are no "singles" on this record and you may need to listen to it a few times, but if you do, you'll be rewarded. Try it in your car and i believe you'll find yourself humming at least 2 or 3 songs by the end of your trip. I've recommended it to several different friends who all agree that it's a great "little ditty". Trust me...