The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are from Brooklyn, but man do they have that late 80's/early '90s UK indie pop sound down pat. Their self-titled debut album on Slumberland Records brings to mind the likes of The Field Mice, early My Bloody Valentine (think "Ecstasy and Wine" era), and The Shop Assistants, as well as like-minded Americans from that era such as Black Tambourine and The Ropers. Vocalist Alex reminds me a little of Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, but his band has a bit more punch. The highlights are plentiful on this 10-song 35-minute disc, including "Yong Adult Friction" (see video above), "Contender," the shoegazy "Everything With You," and "This Love is Fucking Right!"