matt pond PA is a group that has managed to coast along the indie pop shoreline, never quite hitting the sand and never fully receding into the blue abyss. The song structures are generally melancholic with some predictable dynamic shifts, but Matt Pond’s restrained and longing vocals set the album apart from it’s genre contemporaries. The decorative and subdued nature of their sound is prevalent on The Dark Leaves. Therefore, previous fans will be satisfied, but the band probably won’t gain any new ones.
RIYL: Bon Iver
Recommended Songs: 1*,3,7,9
3 out of 5 stars
Download: “matt pond PA - Starting”
(courtesy of Altitude Records)