Pains of Being Pure at Heart on Slumberland

So I've been waiting to finally put this on the turntable after I picked it up with the Crystal Stilts single. I just felt the single would be the best way to introduce myself to these guys. I deliberately waited until I had a minute I could really pay attention. Not some tinny myspace in the background.
I found out the other day watching NY Noise that Peggy was the girl who used to do interviews with random people in the street asking ridiculous questions about their clothes and now she plays keyboards for the Pains. NY Noise played a live set from a cakshop show they did a while back.

What everyone is saying is true, these guys are good. It's catchy indie pop from the pure days of twee where there's going to be a limited audience for this...another words they were writing for themselves....which maybe never existed anyways depending on how you feel.

A- Side Young Adult Friction: Something about this beat, this pace reminds me of a Clap your hands kind of feel...complete with synth. Kip's voice is effected and twee, a little Belle and sebastian...singing about libraries, skirts...high school. It's that strumming jangly guitar 4/4 beat with great bassline under everything. The whole uptempo swirl drops out for the verses. Peggy comes in with echo lines in the chorus, and it's like the best parts of Dog Day, another band I love for the guy/girl indie vocals...or the Swirlies, RIP. Don't forget to have a breakdown where it's just bass and then for the ending play as loud as you can while Kip keeps singing 'Don't check me out' into infinity. It's driving me a little nuts after the 10th listen. You could have had one measure less 'Don't check me out'....just for longevity's sake.

B-Side Ramona: If ever there was a song begging for a John Hughes movie this could be it. It's perfect for that montage of right after the break up because she saw him with someone else, or he knew he was going away and didn't want to, but then he did and she's moved on. You know... a breakup for all the wrong reasons. It's grey, the carnival is closed, maybe snow is falling. Just wallow in it.
I don't need time / I don't need time/ I just need you.
This one is slowly lumbering along with a lonely chorusy distorted guitar singing way off in the background. Oh and acoustic guitar strumming, did I mention that? Of course it does. The melody is great, and I appreciate the little change up at the end. I need a dose of this every now and then when you're sick of the same stuff you keep turning to...when everything on the shelf isn't doing it. This will at least give you the will to go on...just don't listen to the B-Side.

I love the heavy deep red vinyl on the jacket... it's very Smiths.

From Slumberland records...who still has some of these...I don't know if maybe it's some unlimited edition or something...they should be able to press these for a while.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are a certified pop phenomenon. They've taken the indie world by storm with their infectious brand of noisy indie-pop, releasing a string of eagerly awaited singles that culminated in February 2009 with the release of their smashing self-titled debut album. Taken from that album, Young Adult Friction is a saucy tale of teenage lust in the library that bops along to an updated 80s groove that marries the classic strum of The Pastels with a bit of late Smiths polish. Long a favorite at their live shows, Young Adult Friction is a centerpiece of the album and a perfect 7" a-side if ever we’ve heard one. On the flip, Ramona slows the pace for a slice of shoegazey dreaminess that could sit comfortably next to Black Tambourine or My Bloody Valentine on any quality mixtape. It's further proof that The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are one of the most crucial pop bands around right now, breathing fresh life into the moribund indie-pop landscape a adding a splash of much-needed color to the indie scene.