The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Days of Abandon
Slumberland, 2014
There were a couple golden weeks in 2009 where the Pains of
Being Pure at Heart’s eponymous debut was my favorite thing in the world. And
then reality set in and I realized that the reason I loved the album so much
was because it reminded me of bands I already loved. I recognized that the band
did little to differentiate themselves from their obvious influences and though
enjoyable, the music was hollow. Same goes for the group’s sophomore effort, Belong, which added a beefier sonics but
ultimately ended up sounding like Smashing Pumpkins half the time (and with
Silversun Pickups having cornered the market on bands that sound like Smashing
Pumpkins, it was an easy pass). The music is TOTALLY FINE. It’s really nice. I
just can’t get past how this band manages to stay so obnoxiously derivative.
Still, despite the pains in my heart, I bit at Days of Abandon. Naturally, it’s the
same old shit and I might as well be listening to the Field Mice or Adorable or
any of the dreamy mope-pop greats from the late 80s/early 90s. It wouldn’t be
totally hopeless if the songwriting was strong or personal, or if singer Kip
Berman relied on anything but bland platitudes in his lyrics, but nope. There’s
nothing here to set the Pains apart. Worst of all, in the band’s eternal
sideways growth they’ve let the shoegaze elements bloat their songs into
oblivion. The first three minutes of “Beautiful You” are some of the record’s
strongest, but then the song doubles itself and calls attention to the
repetition.
It’s all very good and nice, but for a band that wears its heart in
its name, their music is all form and no substance. No heart. No soul. Just pretty
ethereal guitars, sensitive Sarah Records vocals, and a bunch of songs that sound
like they would rather be in England 30 years ago than live in the present.
It’s a shame, because it’s a gross waste of talent. I keep coming back to the
Pains of Being Pure at Heart because I know
these guys have the skill to make a great record but they just can’t figure
out how to mature and move past their influences to make something of
their own.
"Simple and Sure"
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