Review: Passion Pit’s “Manners”
By Liz Steyer
In the indie music world, an army of synth-wielding, flannel shirted musicians has begun to take over. Experimental, electronic and dance music has found a high place on the indie kids’ playlists. And falsetto seems to be selling the records these days. Singers like Johnny Whitney of Jaguar Love and Craig Owens (formerly of Chiodos) who sings on a few tracks from “Lover, the Lord Has Left Us,” by The Sound of Animals Fighting, are notable contributors to this trend.
Michael Angelakos of American indie band Passion Pit has a piercing falsetto that he puts to very good use in the band’s first full-length, “Manners.” The album was released in May 2009 after a bundle of songs recorded as a Valentine’s Day present for Angelekos’ girlfriend turned into the “Chunk of Change EP,” released in September 2008.
Passion Pit’s love-story beginning turned into an indie-pop success. The band signed to Frenchkiss Records, and a Prefix Magazine review holds “Manners” up to the standards of “Oracular Spectacular” (MGMT) and “Merriweather Post Pavilion” (Animal Collective) from 2008 and 2009, respectively.
“Manners” is a concise album, containing 11 songs in 45 minutes. Passion Pit holds nothing back: the tracks are all synth heavy with soaring vocals, and there are strings, horns and even a children’s choir. Since I picked the album up a few months ago, I have found any reason is a good reason to listen to “Manners”. If I’m feeling a little bit down or stressed out, “Little Secrets” picks me right back up with its upbeat tempo and keyboard ditties. “The Reeling” makes me want to walk down the street with a sway in my step, while my shadow breaks out some 80s jazzercise dance moves behind me. And I find any excuse to listen to the dreamy electro-pop of “Sleepyhead,” which is the best song on the album, despite the band burying it at track nine.
“Manners” has a way of making you introspective while wanting to get up and dance. The feelings conveyed by the band serve as a nice self-searching platform. I got lost in the words more than once while alone in my room, but when listening to the album in my boyfriend’s car, I can’t help but sing backup to Angelakos’ falsetto.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5