Ok, that name is quite a mouthful, and it does sound kinda pretentious. But seriously, put aside your preconceptions, because NYC’s The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are well worth it. There’s a healthy indie-pop scene brewing in Brooklyn these days, and The Pains Of… are amongst the cream of the crop, sprinkling beautiful pop tunes over tidal waves of fuzzed-up guitars.
The band have never been shy to admit their fondness for UK indie heroes such as My Bloody Valentine and Teenage Fanclub, and whilst they aren’t really taking those influences anywhere new, it’s hard to argue with songs like ‘Everything With You‘, ‘This Love Is Fucking Right!‘ and ‘Come Saturday‘ (you can check the latter out on the link above). Swoonsome, melodic choruses? Check. Boy/girl vocals? Check. Sense of wistful yearning for something or someone that is just that little bit out of reach? Oh yes, and then some.
It’s early days for The Pains Of…, but with a debut album like this under their belts, it’s hard not to feel like they’re on to something potentially very special. In the meantime, summer is on its way, and whether you’re going to be spending those long sunny days in love or lovelorn, this is the perfect soundtrack.
They’ll be returning to UK shores for a bunch of shows in May:
Thu 14th – Brighton, Great Escape Festival
Sat 16th – London, Brixton Windmill
Sun 17th – Leicester, The Musician
Mon 18th – Wrexham, Central Station
Tue 19th – York, The Duchess
Wed 20th – Glasgow, Nice & Sleazy
Thu 21st – Leeds, Cockpit
Fri 22nd – Manchester, Chorlton Irish Centre
Sat 23rd – Bristol, Dot to Dot Festival
Sun 24th – Nottingham, Dot to Dot Festival
Check the website for additional UK dates in June.
Alex Gosman