 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, natives of New York, played to a full house at Manhattan’s Webster Hall on October 3rd, 2009. Kip Berman, the band’s lead singer and guitar player, said as they took the stage, “I think this is going to be a special night.” This was around 9:15. The band played through about an hour’s worth of music from self-titled debut and EPs. These recording have already established The Pains of Being Pure at Heart as a noteworthy up-and-coming artist with a distinct sound and wide range of influences. Their music suggests any number of influences from Shoegaze to Britpop. They are reminiscent of artists such as My Bloody Valentine and The Smiths, especially when it comes to vocals. The singing of The Pains is handled mostly by Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang-East. Their vocals blend together, accentuating the lyrical quality of the music.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heard played through their songs fast, loud, and melodiously. There were few breaks in between each song. It was mostly a night for music. There were occasions where the band would pause before playing on, using the time to establish contact with the audience. Many occasions they would express gratitude. “We’ve been to a lot of cities,” said Wang-East. “This is the best.” Another time Berman asked Wang-East if she knew any jokes. She turned to the audience and asked them why can’t wizards have kids. She replied, “Because they have crystal balls.” As they played, they would make eye contact with members of the audience, who danced continuously over the course of the night. The crowd itself was primarily bellow the age of forty, with a few exceptions. Everyone in the audience was entirely unique looking, suggesting a accessibility to the music of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
The mood of the evening was upbeat and lively. In just an hour, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were able to keep their audience engaged and content. In the year 2009 alone they have emerged onto the musical scene with a full length album and EP. Their performance has shown that, even with their slim body of work, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart already have great potential. They are more than just a group begging for a chance to pursue their craft. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, both live and on recordings, have already shown their potential. The rest is up to you.
Streetlight Manifesto Gives Ska
a Good Name at Chameleon Club
Streetlight Manifesto is a great third wave ska band. On their records you’ll find a tightly knit brass section that flows seamlessly with the crunch of the guitar. However, I did have doubts on how their sound would translate from a recording to a live performance. So when they came to The Chameleon Club on September 19th, I was excited to see if the band live would live up their record.
Now all the cool kids may say “ska?! I liked that in 5th grade” but that doesn’t stop me from playing it in the basement of my fraternity and seeing people enjoy it for what it is: upbeat, fun music. In all honesty, the average age of the person attending the show was definitely in the middle-school area, and I did laugh when I saw all the parents standing awkwardly on the second floor, looking down on their lil’ pride and joy moshing to Streetlight Manifesto.
The roots of Streetlight begin with the lead singer Tomas Kalnoky (who was in a the popular ska band Catch 22). He wrote, sang, and played guitar for their debut CD Keasbey Nights. It is probably the best third wave ska CD ever (listen to it). Then they parted ways for a while and Catch 22 went on without him. When Tom entered back into the ska scene he formed Streetlight Manifesto and decided to kick out the jams and never look back.
Onstage Kalnoky said this was their fourth time playing the Chameleon club, and this show, by far, was the best one. From the first note ‘til the last encore, people went crazy. Mosh pits were formed and a good time was had by all (except a few awkward parents). They played practically all of their hits, with perfection they have built by touring on the road for five years. Personally my favorite songs were One foot on the gas, one foot on the grave (a song they said they had never played live), and their Point/Counterpoint breakdown into Keasbey Nights. The brass section of the band is bar none, each with killer solo’s demonstrating their range of talent, and unparalleled energy that was fueled further by the screams from the crowd.
I have seen many ska shows, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Catch 22 (without Tomas), Reel Big Fish, and I have to say Streetlight really brought their A-game to Lancaster. Since they have played here the last four years in a row, I am already looking forward to seeing them next year, and you should too.
The Summer Set find a Love Like This on their debut CD
The debut LP, Love Like This, by The Summer Set is a story of innocent young love with catchy lyrics and strong instrumental riffs. This quintet has been around since 2007, and after the release of two strong EPs, the first full-length album does not disappoint. The band has already accomplished all of this and they are all under the legal drinking age. The album is from Razor & Tie Records and available on iTunes for $9.99 with a bonus track.
The first single off the album, “Chelsea”, is an adorable song about the lead singer, Brian Dales, and his girlfriend. Dales opens up not only to his girlfriend (Chelsea Staub from the TV show JONAS), but also to the world. It is a cute dance song and a great introduction to new listeners.
Although the band is known for their punk-pop style they do experiment with a new sound on a few of the tracks. “Take it Slow” and “This is How We Live” sound edgier and are a stretch from their comfort zone. A little more lighthearted and more instrumentally driven, “Take it Slow” is a nice change from the previous tracks. The band tells the audience how their life on the road is like on “This is How We Live”. It seems a little more glamorous on the track than it most likely is in real life, but the song is entertaining and rocky.
One of the best tracks on the CD is “Girls Freak Me Out.” Basically the band is ready to go out and party in this song. Drunken mistakes and wild nights while the girls yell “pour some sugar on me” dominate the lyrics. It is defiantly a crazy dance song and adds a nice twist to the rest of somewhat innocent album.
Though the ablum is for the most part successful, the Summer Set fails in their track “Punch-Drunk Love” which is too repetitive and sounds like a more poppy All Time Low. Also, “Can You Find Me?” is from their previous EP Meet Me On the Left Coast and falls short as well. It is a good song, but there are better previously recorded track they could have included.
However, the final track “Where are You Now?” is an amazing ending to a mediocre album. It is a nice ballad with support from Dia Frampton from Meg and Dia. Just like any other young love story, they two singers love each other regardless of their flaws or their location. It’s sappy but somehow great song that brings it all to a close.
This band’s sound is very new, but already has a big following in the alternative music scene. We can expect them to around for a while. They have toured with such bands as The Cab, A Rocket to the Moon and The Maine. They are about to go on tour supporting Cartel for the next month across the country. Overall, The Summer Set’s debut album is 3.5 stars out of 5.
Copyright ©2009 WFNM-89.1FM Franklin & Marshall College Radio. All Rights Reserved.