Not content to rest on the laurels of having one of the best and most talked-about albums of 2009, The
Pains of Being Pure At Heart are back with the Higher Than The Stars EP, four brand-new songs that do what the band does best – breathe fresh life into indie-pop with their exuberance, charm and of course quality tunes.
“Falling Over” has also become a staple of the band’s live sets and shows a new side of the band. A
brooding synth-led tune that recalls New Optimist touchstones like Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, “Falling
Over” is as yearning, lovelorn and dreamy as pop gets, and an excellent addition to The Pains’ canon.
“Twins” turns up the fuzz, a mid-tempo rocker with a sing-along chorus and catchy-as-heck guitar lead as
the hook. This is quintessential Pains of Being Pure At Heart — slot it into a mix tape between Teenage
Fanclub and an old Lilys song and you’ll be happy as a clam.
“Higher Than The Stars” races along on arpeggiated keyboards and quickly strummed guitars, a perfect pop
nugget that could be ripped from Robert Smith’s songbook. Its unstoppable energy is pure Pains, though,
and we expect to see a lot of ear-to-ear grins when the band busts this one out on tour. “103” has quickly
become a favorite of the Pains’ live set and it’s easy to hear why. A fizzing slice of summertime noise-pop
with all the melody, fuzz and fun you’ve come to expect from The Pains and a snazzy little stun-guitar solo
to boot.
Higher Than The Stars is the start of the next chapter for The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and it looks to
be just as exciting as the first.
“What distinguishes POBPAH from the rest of their modern peers is a sense of craft located in the sweet
spot between willful amateurism masking incompetence and not gumming things up with bells and whistles.”
– Pitchfork (Best New Music)“…it’s much more than the sum of its parts and too effortlessly effervescent to be studied. Pure indie-pop to
hold close to your heart.” – NME“Can we wait for life to save us in the ways that a band like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart are saving
indie pop?” – Dusted
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
July 23 2009 Backspace Portland, Oregon *
July 24 2009 Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, BC *
July 25 2009 Capitol Hill Block Party Seattle, Washington
Sep 05 2009 Middle East Downstairs, Boston, Massachusetts &+
Sep 06 2009 La Sala Rossa Montreal, Quebec &+
Sep 07 2009 Horeshoe Tavern Toronto, Ontario &+
Sep 08 2009 Logan Square Auditorium Chicago, Illinois &+
Sep 09 2009 Stage Door at the Orpheum Madison, Wisconsin &+
Sep 10 2009 The Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska &+
Sep 12 2009 Monolith Festival Morrison, Colorado
Sep 13 2009 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, Utah &+
Sep 14 2009 Neurolux Boise, Idaho &+
Sep 17 2009 MFNW / Doug Fir Portland, Oregon &+
Sep 21 2009 Casbah San Diego, California &+
Sep 22 2009 Club Congress Tucson, Arizona &+
Sep 24 2009 Lola’s Fort Worth, Texas &+
Sep 25 2009 The Mohawk Austin, Texas &+
Sep 26 2009 One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, Louisiana &+
Sep 27 2009 Club Downunder Tallahassee, Florida &+
Sep 28 2009 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia &+
Sep 29 2009 Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina &+
Sep 30 2009 Black Cat, Washington DC &+
Oct 01 2009 Ottobar Baltimore, Maryland &+
Oct 03 2009 New York, NY Webster Hall &+
Oct 05 2009 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania &+
* = w/ Girls
& = w/ The Depreciation Guild
+ = w/ Cymbals Eat Guitars
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Higher Than The Stars EP
(Slumberland)
Street date: Sept. 22, 2009
Formats: 7″, 12″, CD and digital
1. Falling Over
2. Twins
3. Higher Than The Stars
4. 103
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Come Saturday Single
(Slumberland)
Street date: Sept. 8, 2009
Formats: 7″ and digital
1. Come Saturday
2. Side Ponytail
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART LINKS:
MySpace – www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart
Band Page – www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com
Press Materials – www.slumberlandrecords.com/press/pobpah/pobpah.html