Christ and Heroin

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart “A Teenager In Love”

Let it be known that I don’t have the greatest affection or sentimentality for the twee indie-pop of the late 80s and early 90s. It was never my scene, and honestly, I kinda dislike most of it to this day, mainly for the crimes of being boring and amateurish. This is not to say that there aren’t songs and bands that I enjoy within the genre, or that I have ill will for fans of the music I don’t care about. In fact, the apparent intensity of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s devotion to the genre is part of what make their best tunes work: They care so much about the music that they love that they put in a great deal of effort to measure up to their heroes.

Whereas most other latter day acts working within the same aesthetic over-embrace the whole “I’m shy!” thing to the point that absolutely nothing in the music asserts itself properly, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart come off like a band that actively wants to sound great, if not actually be stellar musicians. The rhythm section lays down brisk beats while the guitars and keyboards glimmer and shine, effortlessly falling into the romantic shorthand of ’80s pop without seeming cheesy or overworked. In this comparatively confident context, the sweet, understated vocals achieve their desired effect, conveying character rather than laziness and apathy. Not all of the band’s songs are winners, but when they hit upon a good melody and rhythmic hook as in the sparkling “A Teenager In Love,” they not only pay tribute to the lovesick fey pop that they admire, but they also enter its canon.

Buy it from the Pains of Being Pure at Heart.