Belong

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: March 29, 2011
• Label: Collective Sounds
• Copyright: 2011 Slumberland Records / Collective Sounds
• Total Length: 39:13
• Genres:
  • Alternative Rock
• ASIN: B004PV3M5A
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,432 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Belong March 29, 2011

By Luke Robinett

Format:Audio CD

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart deliver on the promise of their sparkling debut album with their follow-up, Belong. Here the band takes all the ingredients that worked so well the first time around -- tight song structures, solid hooks, melancholy lyrical themes, healthy doses of early '90s shoegazing nostalgia -- and expands their sonic reach into the stratosphere. With heavy-hitter producers Flood and Moulder behind the boards, the band elaborates on their previously lo-fi aesthetic and introduces dense layers of distorted guitar that cut through the mix and demand your full attention. The songwriting has gotten even more refined, the hooks bigger and the songs themselves feeling more emotionally charged than ever. Where the rhythm section sounded relatively compact and unassuming behind the fuzzy guitars on their first album, the drums are huge, propulsive and thundering throughout the album as the bass lines rumble with a U2-style sense of anthemic grandeur. All of this could have spelled disaster for a band whose charm seemed in part indebted to its vintage-sounding production style, but instead, the band smartly utilizes this broader sonic palette to bring their ideas and moods to life in a new way. While a few fans might not dig the big-and-shiny bombast, most should find this a very satisfying listen, and surely this will be the album that brings them more mainstream attention, as well. While heavier tunes dominate the set list, there are some welcomed tamer moments, such as the New Order-inspired songs "Heart in the Heartbreak" and The Body." On the final track, "Strange" The Pains slightly tweak their usual verse-chorus-verse formula, opting instead for a steady, droning rhythm that builds into a lush, exhilarating climax. These flourishes of diversity keep the album from sounding one-dimensional, demonstrating that this band has again made all the right decisions and produced a big-sounding album that still retains the charm and character of their previous work.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belond March 29, 2011

By Andrew Vice

Format:Audio CD

On their self-titled debut, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart explored the tropes and truisms of 1980's new wave and dream pop, layering their poetic, biographical love songs with fuzz and shimmer. Now, on their follow-up, Belong, you can hear the band continuing to explore their style, while simultaneously giving a bigger nod to their influences, including some unexpected references to bands such as '90s alt-rock titans, the Smashing Pumpkins, which are heard throughout the record in the loud-soft dynamics that play in numerous songs (no doubt courtesy of former Pumpkins producer, Flood.)

Stylistically, Belong is a little bit more varied than the Pains' debut, with burners that drive harder and ballads that play it softer. However, as far as songwriting goes, Belong doesn't quite top what the band achieved on their first record, though it is certainly an excellent record full of catchy hooks and clever songs. For a band like the Pains, innovation is key. Another record in the exact same vein as the s/t debut would be superfluous and pointless, but with innovation there are naturally missteps, though the band avoided doing anything particularly egregious with any of the tunes. Opener and title track "Belong" is a powerful mid-tempo ballad (not unlike most of their songs) and sets the stage for the lyrical themes of being an outsider that are found throughout the record. First single "Heart in Your Heartbreak" is a strong example of the Pumpkins influence heard in this album, with a gradual build of fuzz and distortion until the song really explodes in the last minute. Later on "Even in Dreams" and "Strange" are perfect little slices of fuzz pop, rounding out a solid set of songs that don't necessarily raise the bar for this excellent band, but certainly don't lower it even an inch.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars irresistibly melodic post-shoegaze pop April 5, 2011

By Charlie Quaker

Format:Audio CD

Sophomore release from New York press darlings lives up to the hype...gorgeously addictive,
irresistibly melodic post-shoegaze pop packed with a ton of hooky choruses, compellingly sweet
vocals and smoothly roaring dream-pop guitar riffs. There are no new inventions here, but this
may be as close to "perfect" as formulaic shoegaze pop can get. Every song is a stick-in-your-
head keeper. Two big pop thumbs pointing toward the sky here! Similarities to Jesus & Mary
Chain, The Raveonettes, New Order, Ride, Asobi Seksu.