The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - hell EP

A new EP from POBPAH, though the title track apparently is a bit of a left-over from their last album. Its a shame that happened really as "Hell" would have really added something to Days of abandon with its chirpy guitar work. The other two tracks are cover versions. A cover of Felt's "Ballad of the band" and is done with a lovely jangly melody and sunshine smile. James' "Laid" is interesting it doesn't really deviate from the original, though female vocals do add an interesting twist though it all ends a bit quickly. So three good songs and that makes a well worthwhile EP. You just feel, as with the last few releases from the band, there could be something more. Their first album was the record that bought me back into the indie scene after some years away, i'm not sure this EP would have had the same effect.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - days of abandon

A softer more poppy more melodic sound is at the heart of the Pains Of Being Pure At Heart's third album. Its still great and is a welcome evolution of sound though at times you do miss the sharper lower-fi edge of some of their earlier work...

...but not enough to not enjoy "Days of abandon" hugely. "Until the sun explodes" is euphoric, an uplifting pop blast and a bit Cure-ish at times. Stand out track is the beautiful "Kelly", a classic slice of melodic guitar pop. Single "Simple and sure" is joyous with a light life-affirming chorus. It has no fuzz but does have hand claps. Yay!

So the "difficult third album" isn't at all, POBPAH resisted falling back on old glories and set out on a different sound (a number of personnel changes no doubt had something to do with it). A dreamy pop album for the year and many more beyond it.

MV : "Until the sun explodes" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

New album out in days.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - simple and sure

The new single ahead of POBPAH's (as i lazily will now call them for the rest of this review) third album due next month then. The new song "Simple and sure" can give us a hint as to the new album and that hint is that it will be light, poppy and joyous. The pop tones are perfect and uplifting. The chorus soaring and life affirming. So POBPAH's new album could be pretty special indeed. A noticeable lack of fuzz though but no lack of jingle jangle guitar and ..er.. hand claps.

B-side (not that really exists anyone in the age of the digital single) "Impossible" is a bit more down beat and reflective but still full of glorious pop highlights.

Soundcloud : The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - simple and sure

New album coming next month! At last!

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Jeremy

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (hereafter POBPAH) return with their first new material after their second album released last year, and its a hot single bringing together 2 ace cover versions. Side A of POBPAH's new 7" (or the first track if you got it as a digital single) is a cover of The Magnetic Fields' "Jeremy" is a fast and frenetic indie pop rock thrash.

Side B of POBPAH's single is a cover of East River Pipe(!)'s "my life is wrong" and is all punky thrashy guitars and screeching noise and like the A-side is pretty awesome.

MV : "Jeremy" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

MV : "Girl of 1000 dreams" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

MV : "My terrible friend" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

MV : "Strange" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - belong

The second album of NY's cutiepop revivalists pretty much continues off where the first album stopped : delicious indie pop tunes with a good dose of punk pop sensibility and noise and with some lovely word play.

Its maybe not quite as immediate as their first album though tracks like "Heart in your heartbreak" and "Even in dreams" are pop classics, its a little more grown up and a little more assured. Its more consistent though in being so maybe loses a little of the first album's danger though "belong" is undeniably harder. So what is "belong" in a nutshell? Bloody brilliant. Its packed full of classic pop moments and hipster cool. This belongs in your record collection... ahem.

MV : "The body" by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Antidote to riot and financial gloom.

Live : The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (Birmingham HMV Institute June 14 2011)

Being a bit old i don't go to that many gigs these days and have not been to a proper gig in a sweaty crammed room as opposed to stadium rock in a giant arena or something (i jest i haven't been to any of them either!) for some time. I keep meaning to change this state of affairs but procrastination and laziness get in the way...

However when my current favourite band The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (which i'll shorten to POBPAH here after as i am lazy) came to town i decided to go and see them. I knew i would regret it if i didn't, just as i regret not going down to London to see The Orchids earlier in the year.

I've never actually seen my "favourite band" live before (though for some reason have seen The Farm), obviously that could never happen now with Nirvana and Brighter for various reasons, and as i said above i regret now not going to see The Orchids so the fact i was going to see POBPAH added to my anticipation. I did feel a bit nervous though. What if i was the only old person there in a sea of hipsters? What if they weren't quite as good as the uber-awesome they were going to be in my dreams?

Why did i worry? POBPAH exceeded any expectations, they are just brilliant in every way. There were quite a few people there my age and even a few old punks... and plenty of hipsters too natch.

As they played through the songs i love like "Come Saturday" i was overcome with a feeling of happiness and contentment, and left with joy... and tinnitus. Yes it a bit loud but i decided to refrain from asking them to turn it down a bit (would have been a bit of a faux pas). There was plenty of fuzz noise and distortion, Peggy's keyboards were a bit hard to hear as were Kip's vocals at times but the band were tight and full of energy.

The support acts were quite good, Rogue States are a local band and are promising, their singer needs to stop shaking his sweat everywhere though. I've not heard of Fanzine before but am a fan now for sure, great indie pop noise.

I so hope POBPAH come back again soon. I'll take a proper camera with me too, my camera phone could only manage the below:

MV : "Heart in your heartbreak" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

Album of the year, band of the year. Just my opinion of course but it is a FACT.

MV : "Belong" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

New song off POBPAH's new album.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - higher than the stars EP

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are awesome yeah? The best exponents of C86 indie pop today, this single from 2009 includes the terrific title track plus a few other pieces of indie goodness. Oddly though the best track is the least POBPAH of the lot, a remix of "Higher Than The Stars" with some retro early 90s electronic thrills and vibe. The rest of the EP is POBPAH as you expect: beautiful guitar pop and sweet melodies but the remix is something special.

This is something that it would be cool for the band to explore more in future perhaps.

• Higher Than the Stars  (Amazon)

MV : "This love is fucking right!" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

I don't really like the band's name which is a little clumsy but that is the only criticism i can think of for New York's The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. This is modern day C86 indie gold. Cutie pop with lots of cuteness but not cloying. Lovely energetic pop songs with exuberance and sweet melodies a plenty.

Favourite track is "Young adult friction" (love that title too). Its got the best pop hook i've heard for ages. Actually this is one of the best albums i've heard for ages too. Fantastic stuff.

• Pains of Being Pure at Heart  (Amazon)

MV : "Everything with you" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

Got their album today. Great stuff.