The emphatic indie of Matt Pond PA sustained many a listener through earlier eras. And while it wasn't that long ago, it feels like we've been waiting for something new from Matt for a spell, yeah. Here he is, in 2023, but with a new name. Now recording as The Natural Lines, Matt Pond PA is back with a new self-titled record on Bella Union.
One listen to "No More Tragedies", a highlight here, reminds just how adept this guy and his crew still are at crafting heartfelt alt-rock, and the sort that's full of big hooks. Elsewhere, "Spontaneous Skylights" whirrs and purrs along an elegant melody, while the spry "Don't Come Down" echoes the kind of stuff we heard on the last Death Cab album.
This is emotional music, but it's also largely as light as air, and blessed with a tunefulness that's appreciated by this listener. Nothing here on The Natural Lines is too heavy, even as the material ventures into the heartfelt, and there's a real deftness here that makes these songs shine a bit brighter than they might in other hands.
The Natural Lines by The Natural Lines is out on Friday via Bella Union.
[Photo: Jesse Dufault]