Distorted Pop
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart literally exploded on the music world two years ago with their debut album and now have to deal with the tricky situation of releasing a follow up to that phenomenal success. While "Belong" has its moments, it is not as rocky as their eponymous debut album but only by a smidgen.
The sophomore album is a grower. Maybe expecting something amazing, on first play it seemed a let down but come the third, fourth and fifth play the songs get in your head and you just have to listen to it over and over again. The guitar riffs are still Smashing Pumpkinsesque, full of distortion and other such fun stuff. The low fi vocals remain, and all in all despite a shaky introduction, it is getting a big thumbs up here.
The Brooklyn quartet kick off the album, "Belong", with the previously released single, 'Belong', which opens with pop meets full on distortion guitars, which may not be a new style but it is one that not many people have managed to do better. Although there is plenty of pop meets distortion throughout the album the styles do vary slightly, enough to keep the sound fresh. "Annie With An E" sees things toned down, no more distortion, and it's a pure sincere track, the only one you could consider to be a complete ballad.
The ten tracks may have a mix of speeds and styles but the theme remains of adolescent teenage days, 'Heart In Your Heartbreak' being a perfect example. Maybe it is the sign of a great album that you don't notice nor care and want more. Now well into double figures on listens in the handful of days the album appeared here and it is still going strong.