Passion Pit
Thu 2 Apr 2009
Strawberry Jam
Don’t be alarmed by the jumping stop-start-ness of Passion Pit’s new single from their upcoming debut album Manners. In their trademark fashion it’s typically ramshackle and experimental psychedelic rave-pop, so expect to be confused and then hooked for the duration of the almost five minute long pop song. Passion Pit first caught my attention with their spacey trance/rock-like song Sleepyhead (free download below), which I played repeatedly on EMJ radio last year and is now on regular rotate on NZ music TV and student radio. The Massachusetts band now has a huge international buzz behind them due to their hugely successful catchiness and likable genre-transcending music. While it has definitely irked some, who criticise its high-pitched vocals and repetitive nature, I guess you could liken it to dance-oriented indie pop/rock. Yes, it repeats and is high pitched, but is fueled with a magnetic energy and this emanates throughout the weird glittering synths and almost cheesy SFX. It works, in other words. The five-piece now has a huge PR machine and Columbia Records behind them, having been featured on MTV and the like. Columbia sent us a customised player to show off the band’s new single The Reeling, a glitzy dance/rock anthem with catchy vocals and aforementioned energetic vibe. Theirs is another in a string of albums to anticipate in ‘09. Manners will be out on May 19 in the UK and May 26 in the US.
Posted by Sarah Gooding under U.S.A
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I had no idea this band was actually from the States, because of how much buzz they were getting from the BBC (of all places), but I guess those Brits know good music when they hear it.
Have you seen them live yet? I know that they’re are on the new Josh Schwartz web- series Rockville CA (www.rockvilleca.com) which has performances and an interview from them (which is kinda random, but entertaining). Hope to, and probably will, see a lot more from these guys in the upcoming months.