Being an east-coaster, there’s a certain spot in my heart for folks like Matt Pond. He blends the cryptic indie lyric style with a raw heart-on-your-sleeve style that tends to resonate with folks who spend a lot of time thinking in their own head while existing outside of it. Pond’s straight-forward, rhythmic style show in his latest solo (non-matt pond PA) effort, The Lives Inside the Lines in Your Hand.
Maybe the album was already familiar without my knowing it, but several of these tracks stand out as though they’re songs I’ve been listening to for years. Tracks like the lead-off, “Let Me Live”, “Love to Get Used” and the title track, “The Lives Inside the Lines in Your Hand” resonate with memorable choruses in that unique Matt Pond way that you can hear in his voice controllably straining with emotion filled with matter-of-fact verses. See Pond live and you’ll understand this controlled confidence that wraps you into believing in his words.
Despite venturing on this solo project, the orchestral feel remains for Pond. Many collaborators are listed on this endeavor, but Lives certainly has a more directly Matt Pond feel to the lyrics and exploration. The focus is greatly placed on the lyrical content, apparent in songs like “Hole in My Heart” and “Strafford”.
Whatever the journey has been on this 15-year trip, Pond is still proving himself a master of creating lyrics from emotion. Lives is a good listen for long-term fans of matt pond PA, but will help to connect the listener closer to Matt Pond.
