Despite setbacks in 2006, indie rock act Matt Pond PA will release its seventh disc, "Last Light," Sept. 25 via Altitude Records. The 13-song set was written and recorded in a year in which saw band members leave, forcing Pond to reevaluate his approach to songwriting.

"The floor just seemed to drop out on us," Pond tells Billboard.com. "And the bulk of the response fell on me. But in the end, it was kinda good for me. I just had to fight for what I wanted [in this record] and it ended up being that. It continues [with] what I tend to write about -- dealing with death, apathy and women ... and how those tie together."

Pond says that the stalled recording efforts became particularly frustrating in part because the songs had been worked out in his head, yet couldn't be captured with a good recording. "The lyrics had been laid out, and the arrangements were all very clear," he says. "It just sucks that the recordings came out so bad. But those are things you can't take into account."

"Last Light" did have some bright rays, mainly through vocal contributions from Neko Case and Kelly Hogan. "Working with Kelly and Neko, that was one of the greatest parts of this," Pond says. "Kelly is so talented -- sometimes I'm embarrassed to send her my songs. She's pretty awe-inspiring and scary at the same time."

Fans can get a taste of the new material on the "If You Want Blood" EP, which was released last month.

A fall tour is currently in the works, and Pond is anxious to get on the road. "Touring -- as hellish as it is -- is where you feel like the job part of it comes in," he says. "I'm ready to punch in."