Passion Pit - Manners Review

Passion Pit's meteoric rise in the indie rock community is the perfect example of the power the Internet holds in music these days. Their smash Internet hit "Sleepyhead" from their Chunk of Change EP wowed almost anybody who heard it, a song so amazingly other-worldly perfect that it probably made Ben Gibbard jealous. All this has led to their debut LP, Manners, in which they attempt to avoid the trend of unimpressive debuts that has been rife in 2009 (White Lies, Emperor of the Sun, and Chester French). No such results here. Passion Pit deliver a classic, every bit as playful and euphoric, and probably more so, than their debut. Michael Angelakos and company expand their sound on Manners, more complexities, subtleties, and emotions than their initial EP would suggest. The epic soundscapes on "Moth's Wings", "Eyes as Candles", and "Seaweed Song", the melancholy of "Swimming In The Flood" and "The Reeling", and the childish, unapologetic bliss of "Little Secrets", "To Kingdom Come" and "Let Your Love Grow Tall" highlight the unpredictable, and often moving moments on Manners. One thing that I at least did not expect from this album after the cliched and corny lyrics on their EP, was the depressing, powerful, and brilliant lyrics on Manners. In fact, Angelakos transformation into a good lyricist might be the most satisfying thing about Manners. A truly spectacular album, Passion Pit should be a force in the indie rock community for many years to come.

5 STARS