Artist: Passion Pit
Album: Manners
Year: 2009
Grade: 2.5 pretzels
In many ways, it’s difficult for me to review Passion Pit. On one hand, they give me a tremendous sense of pride, since they were formed and became popular at my very own Emerson College. Singer Michael Angelakos walked the same hallways and sat in the same classrooms as I have for the past two years. When I arrived at Emerson, Passion Pit were on the brink of national success and now, their debut album is getting reviewed by serious music publications. Of course I want to support a band that grew out of my college. However, as hard as I’ve tried, I really don’t like Passion Pit’s music. I find it shallow, contrived, grating and far too overwrought. I’m not a fan of ultra-saccharine, twinkling, electronic dance music and Passion Pit are basically the dictionary definition of all that. I’m so conflicted!
After listening to Manners, I have made a few concessions in the band’s favor. First of all, I realize my complaints about the band’s music are mostly content-related, as opposed to skill-related. These guys know how to record music pretty damn well and the album sure sounds nice. They’re also very talented when it comes to their respective instruments, especially drummer Nate Donmoyer, who consistently breathes life into even the most tepid songs here. Manners sounds like a definite step forward from what I’d heard from Passion Pit prior to this (the Chunk Of Change EP and assorted live shows).
Still, I can’t escape from a number of aspects to their music that drive me up the wall. Foremost among these is Angelakos’ horribly piercing voice. He sings almost exclusively in a gender-bending falsetto, which he belts as if his life depended on it. It’s one of the least subtle voices I’ve ever heard. On top of that, he has a penchant for excruciating lyrical turns like the opening dud of “when I came down the dawn poured into me” from “Little Secrets”. As if his vocals weren’t irritating enough, the band decided to augment his already high-pitched wails with full-blown child choruses on several songs, including the single “The Reeling”. I think the world has had enough child choruses in music, don’t you?
I still can’t consider myself a Passion Pit fan. The music is too brain-dead and mindlessly cheerful for me to embrace it and the collected vocals of Angelakos and whichever unfortunate children he roped into recording with him are nothing short of repulsive (“Sleepyhead” even adds chipmunk vocals). While I’m very glad that a band with direct ties to my college has found some level of success in the world of music, I really wish it wasn’t this band. I understand that, as wonderful as it may be, Emerson College isn’t exactly a college hotbed of musical talent. However, I know this isn’t the best we have to offer. We’ll see what the future holds.
After listening to Manners, I have made a few concessions in the band’s favor. First of all, I realize my complaints about the band’s music are mostly content-related, as opposed to skill-related. These guys know how to record music pretty damn well and the album sure sounds nice. They’re also very talented when it comes to their respective instruments, especially drummer Nate Donmoyer, who consistently breathes life into even the most tepid songs here. Manners sounds like a definite step forward from what I’d heard from Passion Pit prior to this (the Chunk Of Change EP and assorted live shows).
Still, I can’t escape from a number of aspects to their music that drive me up the wall. Foremost among these is Angelakos’ horribly piercing voice. He sings almost exclusively in a gender-bending falsetto, which he belts as if his life depended on it. It’s one of the least subtle voices I’ve ever heard. On top of that, he has a penchant for excruciating lyrical turns like the opening dud of “when I came down the dawn poured into me” from “Little Secrets”. As if his vocals weren’t irritating enough, the band decided to augment his already high-pitched wails with full-blown child choruses on several songs, including the single “The Reeling”. I think the world has had enough child choruses in music, don’t you?
I still can’t consider myself a Passion Pit fan. The music is too brain-dead and mindlessly cheerful for me to embrace it and the collected vocals of Angelakos and whichever unfortunate children he roped into recording with him are nothing short of repulsive (“Sleepyhead” even adds chipmunk vocals). While I’m very glad that a band with direct ties to my college has found some level of success in the world of music, I really wish it wasn’t this band. I understand that, as wonderful as it may be, Emerson College isn’t exactly a college hotbed of musical talent. However, I know this isn’t the best we have to offer. We’ll see what the future holds.
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