matt pond speaks what is on everyone's mind

no, matt pond does not ask why more people aren’t doing “hip hop abs” (from the info-mercial – that shit works, dude). he has apparently been fielding a lot of complaints from fans about the direction of his great mppa project. specifically, they seem to be the same points i was making a couple months ago when i first heard some tracks off the new album, last light. these points go something like, “why did you ditch the ‘chamber’ part of chamber pop?” and, “strings are the things, man. where’s the cello?”. i really like the guy, and i totally agree with his statement. he can do whatever he wants, and thoughts get stale sometimes. however, i maintain that regardless of the instrumentation, the product is just not having the same effect on me. the new album is good, but not emblems good or green fury good in my opinion. here is how matt addresses this (from his band's blog):

Years ago, I thought it could be worthwhile to stick strings into
writing music. Not relegated to fluttery washed out pads -- by making
them an integral part. The intent was for them to be as important as
anything else.

And there were people like Jim Hostetter and Eve Miller... They
pushed. We fought. In the right ways. And we somehow came up with
albums we all agreed upon.

But people drift. And so do ideas. (Man, is it beautiful -- miniature
deaths inside life. Where nobody dies...I still speak to Jim. I still
speak to Eve)

Speaking is all we need anymore. Because. What we did then is not what
we're doing now.

Now I'm playing with a group of people I'd trust until the edges -- to
where we can see our dust raise and roll down the sides. Losing
control on the gravel until slipping and flying through the darkness.
The trust to apply a tourniquet around my head. (DO IT!) To stop the
flow of misinformed mumbled criticisms (A bloody brook will always
babble badly). About who we are and what we're supposed to be doing.