9. Passion Pit – Manners
Andy : 19 :: Dave : 3
The ability to demarcate exactly why it is listeners enjoy certain albums has been solved. It’s been broken down into various categories and criteria by Pandora, and by simply identifying a band – not even! a single song – that a listener is fond of, an entire army of similar sounding tunes can be ascertained. But where that type of rote definition of music misses is when a band like Passion Pit makes such a thrilling album that it defies any chance of falling into a listener’s normal categories. (Although I’m sure if I typed it into their database, they’d be pretty right on with what else I should enjoy.)
On the surface, Passion Pit’s debut album Manners is a shining example of the recent resurgence of 80’s synth-pop – and probably one of the best examples of it to date. The beats are infectious, the production is slick and the vocals – if you make it past Buffalo native Michael Angelakos’ constant falsetto – reveal themselves to be nuanced and ultimately irreplaceable. But beyond the initial ass-shaking greatness of it all, the lyrical subject matter is bleak, and repeated listens reveals the album’s hidden complexity.
From the opening strains of “Make Light” to the dying feedback of “Seaweed Song,” Passion Pit has constructed a thoroughly enjoyable debut. To some listeners, the experience might be over-the-top unlistenable – for any number of reasons – but it’s exactly that penchant for flamboyance that makes Manners so endearing to those able to step outside their normal musical confines.
Passion Pit – Folds In Your Hands (mp3)
Passion Pit – Little Secrets (mp3)
(Both songs from Manners
Passion Pit ahead of both Merriweather and Hospice? Youse guise is nuts.
Enjoying the list a lot though.
Maybe you’re the one who’s nuts, Karl. We’re glad you’re enjoying the list.