After transient, considerably ill-fated run because the Pure Traces, Matt Pond PA is again to its charming previous self with The Ballad Of The Pure Traces, obtainable February 7 through Sonder Home. The band’s stressed chief has acknowledged that the one-album identify change precipitated extra confusion amongst followers than it was value. Pond even wrote a music about it (“The Ballad Of The Pure Traces”) and made it the primary single from the brand new album.
The LP’s newest focus observe, “Korea,” grew out of a scoring challenge with Pond’s longtime collaborator, Chris Hansen. The movie entails an American soldier stationed abroad in 1959, although Pond would slightly not get into any extra particulars—aside from the truth that its “earnest openness” caught with him.
“It felt as if the digicam was looking for one thing,” he says. “But, on the similar time, it was accepting and absolutely open to this world throughout the ocean.”
With a reassuring hominess that belies its title, “Korea” was recorded in Pond’s Hudson Valley basement with Hansen on guitar, Hilary James on cello and Dan Ford and Kyle Kelly-Yahner on drums. Wanting so as to add an genuine voice to the music, Pond linked with celebrated creator and journalist Mary Choi, a local of Seoul, South Korea.
“Our conversations—first over e mail after which by telephone—centered on the which means and emotion her phrases ought to convey,” he says. “Ultimately, she recorded her secret reflections in a closet in her house.”
The scoring gig impressed Pond to take a “deep dive” into exhausting drives filled with band footage. What you see within the video for “Korea” was shot in 2004 by photographer Jeremy Balderson whereas the band was monitoring A number of Arrows Later and a canopy of Oasis’ “Champagne Supernova” at New York’s legendary Bearsville Studios.
“Again then, we weren’t used to working with such nice gear or in rooms that sounded so good,” says Pond. “The whole lot concerning the expertise felt ridiculous and thrilling. As you’ll discover, I’ve by no means been—and by no means might be—good at basketball. Typically, I don’t acknowledge myself in my very own tales. I can get misplaced in my head so simply. However once I take a step exterior, I’m reminded of the wonderful folks and locations round me.”
We’re proud to premiere Matt Pond PA’s “Korea” video.
—Hobart Rowland
See Matt Pond PA reside.
