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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
As if there was ever any doubt..., May 19, 2004
"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.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My new second favorite band, June 5, 2004
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.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Chamber Pop, December 19, 2004
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!
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