aaamusic | On 20, Jun 2014

We can never be content with the present can we? The truth seems to be that the halcyon days were great and everything after them is terrible and miserable and we’re all in desperate need for a Delorean fitted with a flux capacitor, right? Albeit dramatic, this recurring dream of nostalgic inertia has been a cornerstone of Indie bands past the collective age of 23 since the inception of the telecaster. New York four-piece and mouthful enthusiasts The Pains of Being Pure of Heart relish in this vain on their third full release, with reduced torque and treading down of the rocky grounds and shoegaze comparisons they seem to be pursuing purgatory between the optimistic and melancholy.

And yet there is still plenty to fist-pump about, admittedly any nuances of Psychocandy or Loveless are few and far between and instead Pains substitute whirring guitars for bright synths and cavorting rhythms. Like on ‘Simple and Sure’ which cultivates from the same effervescent quality of early track ‘Teenage in Love’ that featured on their debut. However, as the tones have veered saccharin the band’s overall balance takes a mismatched turn leaving frontman Kip Berman’s vocals to pale accordingly. This gives room for Peggy Wang, keyboardist and under-appreciated vocalist, to flex her throat muscles actually providing some of the more evocative performances of this whole record like on ‘Kelly’, in which Johnny Marr’ed guitar stabs waltz from verse to verse.

Pains have never shied away from channeling influence overtly and British pop has obviously nestled it’s way into their collective consciouses since punchy guitars leads and woeful lyrics are as cloaked in these tracks as Robert Smith would be on the tube in rush-hour. And speaking of Cure influence, the riff in ‘Until the Sun Explodes’ is almost a direct impostor of ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and is dubiously similar which raises many eyebrows about whether artists can mine too close to their source material.

Though Days of Abandon does glimmer with ambition at times. ‘Beautiful You’, by far the longest track they’ve ever attempted, demonstrates the scope of their structure and dynamic chops with stirring verse melodies and a crescendo of syrupy warm guitar strums in the chorus, though due to the sheer stretch of this track invigorated beats are dulled by wistful but draining vocals – I can’t help but feel the track would have taken more shape and direction if Ms.Wang had taken the reins on the singing responsibilities.

Lead single ‘Eurydice’ is sparky and contemplative but fails to fully encapsulate the tale of loss and resurrection that it’s title suggests. That said, there’s a lot of gravity to the myth, more than one Indie-Pop track could fully abridge; the sentiment remains nonetheless but to little effect. Vibrant and dainty guitar lines dilute any grounded feeling of despondency or fond reminiscence this record attempts to provoke and we’re left in an emotional flatlands only having surface understanding of this record’s thematic sorrow. Even the adorably sinister ‘Masokissed’ only coxes a feeling of calling up Mario Kart HQ on the basis we’ve found the new soundtrack for Rainbow Road.

Undeniably charming but possibly too sweet for many, Days of Abandon is a fond attempt to capsulise a key theme in Indie-Rock and a gallant endeavour at that. While occasionally feeling like a barrage of sherbet daggers, we float between the optimistic moments as highlights and the pensive as dreary. It’s a pleasant ride regardless just don’t expect to be overwhelmed with any numinous epiphanies of past times, blown chances and a brazen new outlook on life.

★★★★★

Will Butler