The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Say No To Love
Artist: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Hails from: New York, NY
Musical Style: Pop-Punk, Indie Rock
For Fans of: My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths
Why you should check them out:
One of the buzziest bands of 2009, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are currently barnstorming the globe on the heels of their debut album. The band’s recordings and live shows bring a spirit and sound reminiscent of the indie rock salad days of the late 80′s and early 90′s.
Background Check:
On a recent winters’ night a few friends and I braved the frigid New England tundra to check out this New York City quartet, inspired by the strength of their early singles adn 7″s. We weren’t alone! Despite sub-freezing temperatures the show quickly sold-out, leaving many fans and interested parties literally out in the cold. Inside, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, known to their fans simply as The Pains, did not disappoint. They ran through their early tunes and most of their debut self-titled album absorbing the good vibes emanating from the packed house and sending them right back out into the crowd.
POBPAH songs are short, fuzzed-out blasts of noisy pop filled with infectious hooks and boy-girl harmonies provided by keyboardist Peggy Wang and lead singer/guitarist Kip Berman. The compositions are shoegaze wall-of-sound with a punky edge, featuring keyboard swirls and distorted chords punctuated by tidy lead guitar lines and punchy rhythms. The songs tell of love and longing, and their narrators remain undaunted.
The band’s aesthetic harkens back to the indie sounds of the late 80′s and early 90′s, and some decried POBPAH for being a bit too derivative of that era. Rather than spending time defending these accusations, the foursome has taken the opposite tact by embracing their progenitors and propelling themselves forward. Broadcasting their love for bands like My Bloody Valentine, Black Tambourine and Nirvana, the band is venturing to conquer the indie rock universe, one blog critic at a time.
Fun Fact: The band took their name from the title of an unpublished childrens story that a friend of Kip Berman wrote.
Where you can find them in cyber space:
On tour:
