Pure at Heart anything but painful

If one had to choose a heart condition, purity would apparently not be a bad decision. The… If one had to choose a heart condition, purity would apparently not be a bad decision. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s eponymous debut album is fun and pain-free punk pop. The New York-based band has a very consistent sound, which means either that the self-titled debut contains no bad songs or no good songs. That all depends on the listener. Lyrics are sometimes hazy and indiscernible but not unpleasant, sung by both male and female vocalists of considerable talent. Eerie backup vocals are used frequently to great effect, and the melodies are catchy and enjoyable if not stunningly original. Song themes range from the youthfully optimistic to the creepy and unsettling, the starkest contrast being between infatuation and devotion, most notably in ‘The Tenure Itch’ ‘mdash; a song reminiscent of The Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ in terms of subject matter: ‘His last suggestion, it makes you ill. / Still one more lesson leaves you twisting to his will.’ Hints of something disquieting continue in ‘This Love is F***ing Right!’ belied by a cheerful and upbeat tempo, ‘Can you go home, look your best friend in the eye? / No you can’t go home after where you slept last night.’ This love might not be right, but the melody is surely catchy. In the coming-of-age tale ‘Young Adult Friction,’ the driving beat carries the insubstantial storyline, ‘Between the stacks in the library, / Not like anyone stopped to see.’ The song ends with the doubly intended declaration against book borrowing and unwanted attention ‘mdash; ‘Don’t check me out!’ ‘Everything With You,’ the band’s first single off this album, features enticing guitar riffs and drum beats with lyrics professing not so much teen angst as youthful uncertainty, ‘Start off ‘Sometimes…’/ Now it’s our time. / Are you with me? / Strange teenager/ Waiting for death at 19. / Are you with me?’ The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s sound has a dreamy, playful feel to it. The album maintains high energy and sincere enthusiasm throughout, bringing fresh life, new development and a decidedly painless sound to a stagnant pop scene.