Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart


Since forming in early 2007, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart have released a handful of singles on labels like Slumberland, Fortuna POP!, and Cloudberry, each one issued to greater anticipation and even wider reception. With that kind of momentum it should come as no surprise then, that The Pains of Being Pure At Heart's debut album has been anxiously awaited by indie rock kids the world over.

Thankfully, all that anticipation has paid off as The Pains of Being Pure At Heart is absolutely one of the best records of 2009. Listening to The Pains of Being Pure At Heartis like listening to the best record that My Bloody Valentine, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Secret Shine never recorded. It's essentially an amalgamation of the late 80's and early 90's noise pop scenes rolled into one giant Anglophilic wall of noise that sounds like heaven on earth.

With guitars on jangelometer overdrive, drums set to bash, and melodies ramped up into the heavens, TPOBPAH write songs so deeply rooted in British pop classicism you're brain and ears can't help feel confused with the sensory overload. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart is an effortless classic that sounds as if the TPOBPAH could write these songs in their sleep. Every jolly riff, every enthusiastic melody sounds utterly perfect. It's an effervescent little record that hits the target, note after note, song after song and I love it.

Today, it's rare that an album has five songs that are masterfully put together. It's absolutely unheard of when an album is brilliant all the way through, but The Pains of Being Pure At Heartis. I love this record, pure and simple. The songs are shy, sparkly, and ridiculously catchy and when you combine them all together you have a shoegazing masterpiece that might be 15 years behind schedule, but is so well done you can't help but appreciate it. Hands down, one of the best records of 2009.

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