Passion Pit - Constant Conversations

Check out my review of the new album, ‘Gossamer’ here

For more news and album reviews check out http://indiepoint.tumblr.com

                                                     Score: 4.0/5

Some things in life just seem to go naturally hand-in-hand, things like listening to Perry Como while laying next to the fireplace in winter, playing conkers in the autumn or the blooming of flowers in the spring. Listening to Passion Pit in the summer is just another one of those pairings that plays together so well in the same, effortless manner. However, here with their sophomore album ‘Gossamer’, there’s a certain immaculate deception at the hands of a summery, cheerful demeanor as darker elements play just beneath the surface. 

Listening through Gossamer with it’s effervescent sugary synths ringing through each track, one can be easily forgiven for losing sight of the album’s themes and these are something that Gossamer is packed full of. Frontman Michael Angelakos runs through a plethora of different concepts and issues, ranging from mental illness to economic hardship and there’s something very admiral about someone trying to deter pop from it’s sunny, negligible existence and steer it into a whole new darker and significant place. There’s a brooding march-like feel to the first track ‘Take A Walk’ as Angelakos cries out lines such as “Practice isn’t perfect/with the market cuts and loss/I remind myself that times could be much worse”, reveling in an optimistic outlook on economic struggles. Angelakos continues with his emotional outpouring as we turn to ‘I’ll Be Alright’, that at times is reminiscent of the chorus from Friendly Fire’s ‘Blue Cassette’, as the Passion Pit frontman offers hope in place of the personal struggles with lyrics “Well I’ve made so many messes/and this love has grown so restless/your whole life has been nothing but this/I won’t let you go the mess/I’ll be alright”.

Allusions to drawn out battles with alcoholism and addiction play out and add further to the mass of thematic imagery, as Angelakos uses his falsetto to full effect in album gem ‘Constant Conversations’, which sparkles elegantly in it’s alluring neo-soul casing, as he sings of self-destruction “And you’re pouring out my drink/well there’s a very obvious difference/and it’s that one of us can think/if there’s a bump in the road yeah you fix it, but for me i’ll just run off the road”. It’s one of the few times that Passion Pit slow down the relentless upbeat nature of Gossamer and leaves you wondering how much more it could have benefited from further showcases of soulful style as a slight criticism of the album is that at times it appears to try too hard to chase uptempo beats which are likelier to translate into hits such as ‘The Reeling’ from first album ‘Manners’.

The album addresses this towards the end with the atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful closer ‘Where We Belong’ that throughout, builds verse by verse to it’s crushing conclusion as it addresses accounts of a suicide attempt and the song is rendered ever more potent with the water-shower sound that concludes to compliment Angelakos as he sings “And then i’m lifted up/out of the crimson towel/the bath begins to drain/and from the floor he prays away all my pain”. Throughout Gossamer, you can’t help but feel this is Angelakos’ way of laying down a personal challenge to the listeners, asking them to see beyond the distracting and deceptive confines of summery synths and sugar-cased beats. To join in his journey of lyrical therapy, and to understand an album that’s ultimately laced with dark elements whilst dressed up well in a flamboyant attire. This is pop as it should be, polished in its purest form; both significant and fun at the same time, ominous and optimistic in equal measure - passion pit have created a standard here and others should start to fly the flag. 

Recommended Songs: ‘Take A Walk’, ‘I’ll Be Alright’, ‘Constant Conversations’ and ‘Where We Belong’.

Overall: Passion Pit return with a grander expanse on their synth filled sound, whilst Angelakos steals the show with an emotional outpouring of lyrical content.

For more news and album reviews check out http://indiepoint.tumblr.com

Delphic’s new single ‘Good Life’ from their upcoming sophomore album. Single is out on 23rd July.

Certainly sounds a bit different from what we expected but what are your thoughts?

For more news and album reviews check out http://indiepoint.tumblr.com

Minus The Bear’s new single ‘Lonely Gun’ from their upcoming 5th album, ‘Infinity Overhead’ (released 28th August).

What do you guys think of it?

For more news and album reviews check out http://indiepoint.tumblr.com