Track 3: "A Teenager in Love" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

Now here's a real throwback beyond the sound. It's been over a decade since I regularly scooped up anything and everything released by Slumberland Records. Furthermore, we have an album recorded by Archie Moore, formally of Velocity Girl, which takes me all the way back to high school. Slumberland delivered a healthy dose of twee pop back in the nineties, including many bands that tried to disguise the cuteness with some vintage Jesus and Mary Chain reverb and fuzz. Another jumping off referential point may be the sadly under-looked Slumberland alums Black Tambourine, which without coincidence featured the aforementioned Moore.

The interesting band name, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, comes from an unreleased children's book by the lead singer. It's charming and eye-grabbing, but for some may have suggested another sound entirely. Yes the album is youthful and is filled with it's share of heartache, but it sounds...well, pure...and beyond cliches. While I littered my take on the album with comparisons, after seeing them live at Monolith this Fall, I sensed an earnestness and that they weren't recycling retro just to get noticed. Some folks have lumped this Brooklyn quartet with other acclaimed borough favorites (Crystal Stilts, Vivian Girls), but with a debut this impressive I really hope they don't suffer from that here today, gone tomorrow trend common to burgeoning, of the moment scenes.



I could have very easily gone with the popular "Young Adult Friction," however, nostalgia pulled me towards the upbeat "A Teenager in Love." It probably the poppiest on the album, but you simply can't have a band compared to JAMC and not include a track that references Christ or Jesus.

3.) "A Teenager in Love" by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart


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