It’s no secret that I’m predisposed to the dreamy synth-pop pining of loves lost and romantic weekend getaways. The mellowed indie-pop of Hefner and Jets to Brazil raised me to be the sort of sentimentalist that swoons over girls.
Having said this, when I first heard The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s self-titled debut, my heart soared and my soul sighed. From the onset the band’s lead singer, Kip Berman, woos the listener with his pillow-soft voice. He infuses the songs with youthful angst as he sings such lines as, “if you made a stand, I would stand with you ‘til the end” and “I never thought I would come of age, let alone on a lonely page.”
The lovely Peggy Wang-East backs up Berman on vocals, adding the perfect feminine accompaniment that reflects the young schoolgirl side of the adolescent love portrayed in the songs themselves. Beyond her angelic vocals, Wang-East’s keyboard work on such songs as “A Teenager in Love” and “The Tenure Itch” go a long way to add to the dreamy nature of the album.
Even the album’s apparent shortcomings seem to add to the overall thematic nature that the band so embodies. The low, almost inaudible vocals practically mimic the whispered promises of lovers, and the gritty recording style is redolent of the take-me-as-I-am philosophy so often found in young romance.
Through and through this album exemplifies true indie-pop: quivering vocals from both sexes, synth solos, and silky-smooth guitar lines. Worthy of comparison to indie-pop sweethearts Voxtrot and Pas/Cal, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart has lived up its name with its first, but hopefully not last, album.
Voice’s Choices: “A Teenager in Love,” “Young Adult Friction,” “Everything With You”
