A strange
duality exists in Matt Pond’s tenth album, The Lives Inside The
Lines In Your Hand, as it is also his first album. Coincidentally the name
that has followed his band for the past decade, Matt Pond PA, has been slightly
altered to reflect his transition to a “solo artist.” Now being referred to
without the “PA,” his music remains uniquely truthful and dedicated to the sound
that has garnered him onto a vast array of motion picture sound tracks and
commercials.
When Matt
Pond set out on his musical endeavor, I don’t believe he dreamed of being the
sound of a long-running advertising campaign for Starbucks, but that’s what he
got. Along with it came an ever growing die-hard fan base that enjoyed the raw
channel of emotions Pond put into his lyrics and melodies. The newest album
delivers some of his strongest work to date, which fans will undoubtedly enjoy,
but it is flawed in many ways.
One of the
initial songs I heard called “Love to Get Used” sparked my interest with its
use of electronic beat and coarse guitar. This song, like most off this album,
has a high production value due to its polished, smooth sound making it easy to
listen too. Anyone interested in the unique fusion of up-tempo pop and mellow
rock would particularly enjoy this song. The chord progression in “Bring Back
the Orchestra” coupled with the meaningful lyrics and spot on vocals of Pond
lend the album some diversity.
The album
starts to drift into a feeling of predictability after further listening. The
Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand is definitely a strong album for Matt
Pond, but it fails to separate itself between tracks. The previously noted
tracks vary a great deal in comparison, but songs like “Go Where the Leaves Go”
and “Human Beings” blend into one another after a while. These are the types of
songs that one listens to and they say they like it, but it will never make it
onto their playlists because it’s not fun to actively listen to.
Regardless, those who have loved Matt Pond’s songs in the past will surely love this recent
follow up. His songwriting credentials provide the listeners of The Lives
Inside The Lines In Your Hand with fail proof messages that he continues to
bring ten albums later. Although if this was truly a “solo album,” it would be a
great start, but considering Pond has a decade behind him in the music business, this album leaves much to be desired. He fails to create a variety in most of
his songs, which will still keep some engaged, but as for me I’m left slightly
uninterested and lethargic.
Grade: C+
Make sure to check out the music video for the track above "love to get used” its awesome! http://smarturl.it/MattPLTGU
Go Where The Leaves Go is the stand out track for me, one of the best songs he's ever done. It's on my playlist!