For Matt Pond PA (the PA stands for Pennsylvania), the indie-pop
group led by New Hampshire-born singer/songwriter Matt Pond, it has
been a busy seven years since their inception in 1998, with five
full-lengths and a number of EPs already under their belt, including
their most recent release, the 7-song EP Winter Songs
(January 25, 2005). Along the way, the group has undergone various
lineup incarnations, survived three record labels (File 13, Polyvinyl
and currently Altitude), and has quietly, yet continuously put out one
strong CD release after the other, despite the fact that the band
remains largely anonymous – although that could change with the recent
inclusion of their song “New Hampshire” on Fox’s hit show The OC
(Episode 8). For the purpose of this review, we will focus on the
group’s two latest releases, the full-length album Emblems (2004) and their newest EP Winter Songs.

Concentrating on Emblems
first, the Altitude Records debut produced/mixed by Louie Lino (Nada
Surf) with additional mixing provided by Andy Wallace (Linkin Park,
Blink 182, A Perfect Circle), it is readily apparent why Matt Pond PA
are so critically acclaimed. For the uninitiated, the music is smartly
crafted exposes of minimalist, yet still grandiose indie rock driven by
themes of nature & life, which are portrayed through the brilliant
use of cellos, keyboards, acoustic guitars and Matt’s earnest lyrics.
In other words, this is adult contemporary, headphone-escaping indie at
its very best, and should appeal to fans of Elliott Smith, Death Cab
For Cutie, Belle & Sebastian, Iron & Wine and even Peter
Gabriel, at least vocally. Going back to Emblems, Matt Pond
PA dole out perhaps their most accessible and evolved material to date,
while still retaining such recognizable traits as the album’s emotional
urgency and orchestral-like composition. Another recurring element is
the record’s consistency and flow, which means that Emblems,
much like its predecessors, should be treated as a whole, rather than
as individual parts. Sure, the album may boast certain tracks that
appeal more than others, such as the wistful “New Hampshire”, the
beautiful “Summer (Butcher Two)”, the melancholic “Bring On The Ending”
or the more poppy “Closest (Look Out)” and “Claire” – not to mention
any of the remaining seven songs – but to fully enjoy the richness and
wonders that Emblems has to offer, you have to experience the record from start to finish.

Now, moving on to Winter Songs, this limited edition 7-song
EP, recorded once again with Louie Lino, finds the group focusing on,
as one might have guessed, a winter theme. Leading off the EP in fairly
strong fashion, is a new Matt Pond PA song, the catchy “Snow Days”,
while the rest of the album consists of two instrumentals (“Fall Two”,
“Winter One”) and covers including Neil Young’s “Winterlong”, Richard
& Linda Thompson’s “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”, “In
The Aeroplane Over The Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel and Lindsey
Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” from National Lampoon’s Vacation. While not
the strongest collection of material put together by Matt Pond PA, Winter Songs is a welcome breather until the group’s next full-length.

Overall, Matt Pond PA has proven time and again their validity as
one of indie music’s most talented and underappreciated artists, and
these two latest releases from the band are just further proof of their
relevance. Emblems is a great way for newcomers to be introduced to Matt Pond PA and is sure to win over many listeners, while the Winter Songs
EP is better left to hardcore fans looking to add to their collection.
Regardless though of what type of fan you may be, old or new, it can be
agreed that a Matt Pond PA experience is one well worth discovering,
over and over, and hopefully many other music lovers out there will get
that same opportunity…

http://www.mattpondpa.com/

Track 5 of the new CD by Desaparecidos, Read Music/Speak Spanish, begins with the line “They say it’s murder on your folk career to make a rock record with the Disappeared.” The folk career in question belongs to Conor Oberst, who has put aside his mellower Bright Eyes project for a while to front the hard-rocking, political-raving, establishment-knocking quintet known as Desaparecidos, which means “the disappeared” in Spanish. In the process of turning the amplifier up, Oberst unleashes a torrential rash of emotions and ideological positions backed by a wash of power punk exponentially more influential than a roomful of overpaid political lobbyists.

The band opens the record with a high-energy commentary of American society. It’s a song about the average person’s struggle to achieve the mediocrity of middle class status, interestingly titled “Man and Wife, The Former (Financial Planning).” The song’s protagonist gets into debt, sells some of his “shit,” and takes on a few payment plans in order to provide his lover and himself with “that house next to the park” and “a nicer car full of shopping bags.” Three songs later, the pressure of the American Dream has proved too great a weight for the young couple. They long for their simpler, yet naïve, younger days before American culture drowned them in the incessant overcomsumption of products, land, stimulation, and themselves. The tune: “Man and Wife, The Latter (Damaged Goods)”.

Desaparecidos rage against the encroaching and oppressing ideals of suburbia, with its cardboard franchises, SUVs, and watered-down punk. Behind a wall of crunching guitars and a frenetic rhythm section, the band warns against the country’s most precious resources merely becoming backdrops for Disney. They stand behind their convictions with a brazen musical force and Oberst’s indignant throat-rattling screams - which would make Black Francis proud.

In all, Read Music/Speak Spanish is a damn good rock record loaded with social commentary. No new political or social ground is broken here, but Oberst does makes a bold and headstrong move by turning it up and getting aggressive with Desaparecidos – kind of like Dylan did when he went electric.

Re-scheduled from back in October, The Blueskins finally get their chance to play the so-called “best venue in London”, the Metro Club. Advertising for the show seems to have been a little rushed, however, and maybe it is this that means the dingy rooms under Oxford Street are less than full. Which is a shame, because those that do make it to the gig are so enthusiastic it’s hard to believe the band have only just released their second single.

The ‘Skins kick off with this new single, “Number 23″ from the “Magic Road EP”. Which, as both Ryan and Maff tell us more than once, is available to buy after the gig. In any other band, this blatant advertising would be irritating at the very least. With the Blueskins it merely seems like an earnest plea for more people to listen to their well-crafted tunes. Despite their own belief in the quality of their sound, the band seem almost surprised that anyone else would want to listen to them, and this lack of pretension is somewhat endearing.

And, in reality, the band certainly have nothing to be surprised about. Every Beach Boys harmony, every 60’s rock ‘n’ roll classic - even a strange Alice Cooper-esque vocal in “Stupid Ones” - combines to make both more well-played and newer songs (such as “My Love Is Law” and “Bad Day”) grab every listener by the hair and shake them around a bit. Tonight, the only complaint is that the Blueskins sound perhaps a little too practised, a little less passionate than at their last show in London supporting the Kills, Ryan’s twisted epileptic movements dampened down, the other band members at times a little wooden. But then again, the band are still getting used to a live audience. A few more dates, and the nerves, perhaps, will no longer be getting in the way of some of the best new tunes the UK has to offer.

Set list: Number 23/Girl/Stupid Ones/Love Boat/My Love Is Law/Bad Day/User Friendly/Blue Sneakers/Change My Mind/Magpie Blues

In Fervor definitely fall outside the indie realm, but that doesn’t mean that their interesting blend of angular guitar lines, typical post-grunge subject matter, and use of minimalist technique to achieve a total sound keep the band from producing interesting music. Not too experimental but not entirely conventional, In Fervor prove to have mastered the value of restraint during this short album, which had the case been otherwise, the band’s intelligent edge would have been lost. Each phrase is carefully written and engineered to fit into the band’s whole sound: the math rock technique being applied to traditional 90’s-rock song structure. The best I can do to “place” this band is to say that they’re a hybrid of Slint, and, well…Seven Mary Three!

“Hammer Song” opens the album as Richard Martin’s husky voice croons over a skittish riff that’s a conglomerate of David Kaplan’s melody-carrying bass playing, Wayne Schneiderman’s intricate drums work, and Mark Bannayan’s lead guitar counterpoint. The ever-changing refrain displays so many chord changes and points of emphasis, setting the precedent for the rest of the album’s good use of transitions and understanding of tonal shade. Rather than break into angry-rock-core, Martin instead imbues some whispered intensity to a few choice words during this track: a fine choice. By the time we reach the histrionic guitar solo and its briefly pedal-driven ending, we know that we’re listening to some good old fashioned rock music and that we don’t need to feel guilty about enjoying it.

Martin’s lyrics seem to be shadows of Kurt Cobain’s themes of overall angst: “Looking down suicide street/Shaking hands with people they meet.” (from “Map the Sketch Plan”) “I believe in parasites/I believe in failure/Ever since I was an 18 ager” (from 18 ager) There are exceptions: the closer “Mandolin” seems to be a story of a homeless revolutionary in a third-world country: “I live in the shadow of a concrete light/Misty thoughts against an open sky/Never would I say/It’s just another day.”

The real beauty of Anatomy of a Memory, however, is its musical writing. Rising builds are placed against lines of verse delivered a capella, breaking up those builds. Noisy bridges which seem to be going full throttle are in fact possessing considerable reserve. Delicately picked guitar lines emote introspection, though it may be slightly unbalanced introspection. And in spite of all this attention to detail, In Fervor never fail to really rock in the fullblown mainstream meaning of the word. “Wheels to Turn” uses a catchy twist of Soundgarden’s “Spoonman” riff, complete with exciting little pick sweeps at the end of phrases. Serving as bookends to this track, drones of actually interesting disharmonied feedback swirl around.

However, the “album” is given an odd length. It’s too long to be just an EP, and too short to be a full-sized record.

In Fervor probably also take themselves a little too seriously, which we can deduce from the ultra serious album title and bandname, but I say, let them do whatever they want. This band’s creativity has taken them thus far to artistically good places. I mean, they’ve truly managed to dovetail intelligent writing and real of-the-earth rock’n’roll. That’s pretty good.

www.infervor.com