Matt Pond PA is a name I've not thought of in some time. I admit that, okay? It's the name of a band (featuring Matt Pond) that made American indie that was thoughtful, considered, and remarkably tuneful. Some of the best material, and some rarities, are collected here on A Collection of Bees Part 1, the band's new self-released compilation that drops on Friday. It's the kind of set that makes me want to go back and dive into the catalog of this band all over again.
"Stopping" here is a jaunty ramble, the kind of thing that's closer to Nilsson, for instance, than era-peers Death Cab for Cutie, while "Blue Fawn (First Light Demo)" is poised somewhere between Neil Young-style folk-rock and the brand of material that Elliott Smith made his own. If "Remember Me" works up a nice little head of steam, most of this collection is given over to compositions that are very melodic rather than simply introspective like this one.
Matt Pond, the main man behind Matt Pond PA, is smart enough to allow his songs to maintain an easy grace. Rarely does any of this feel forced or belabored. At times, like on "First Fawn (Brooklyn Fawn Demo)", there's the faintest of sonic similarities to The War on Drugs. Pond, however, seems more assured while carving out a smaller niche, with the tunes being quietly elegant, rather than overly ambitious. Still, Pond's ambitions are clear, and his talents large, highly melodic ones.
A Collection of Bees Part 1 is out on Friday.
More details on Matt Pond PA via the official website.
[Photo: Anya Marina]