The eighties have been the subject of nostalgia and affection for years now, but for those who were too young to experience it the first time, the feeling can be, "So what?" John Hughes films might be cherished by Generation X (remember them?), but ‘the millennials’ might feel like they missed the party (akin to your mother telling you the virtues of David Cassidy…). The same can be said for the music, even though acts like Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (QRO live review) have returned strong. The youth of today need their own alt-soundtrack to young romance, and it can be found in The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s excellent sophomore release, Belong.
The Pains made a name for themselves with their self-titled EP & LP (QRO review), employing the fuzz so popular in their Brooklyn borough, but for pop instead of garage-rock or lo-fi. It was sweet, if a little repetitive – but the band takes a definite step forward on Belong, without stepping away from where they came from. There is still fuzz, but it’s not as dominant, allowing the band to do more besides. There is still romance (opening line from closer "Strange", "While everyone was doing drugs / We were just doing love"), but it’s a more compelling one – the better movies of John Hughes. Other than a few forgettable-in-comparison sadder numbers ("Anne With an E", "Too Tough"), Belong is a relaxed, bright, uplifting record that’s not too sweet or ‘up with people’ – just catchy and oh-so-enjoyable.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are certainly a twee band, and it’s not something they run away from – witness the name of the band/debut EP/debut LP. But Belong is the band taking their sound and doing more with it. Hopefully it will be remembered for as long, and as fondly, as the films of John Hughes.
MP3 Stream: "Strange"
