2010

The music year 2010 has been a brilliant time for softpop but otherwise left much to be desired.
I had really big plans for the blog this year, but the lack of posts is obvious now that there are only a few hours left until 2011. It is what it is and my lesson is to not promise more than I can hold. I still have the ideas I mentioned one year ago, but this time the plan is to post when the inspiration comes back.

Records
1. Very Truly Yours –Things You Used to Say
2. Allo Darlin - Allo Darlin
3. Katie Goes to Tokyo - My Naked Heart
4. The Soft City - The Soft City
5. Sambassadeur – European
6. The Jezabels – Dark Storm EP
7. The Secret History –The World That Never Was
8. Stars – The Five Ghosts
9. Will Driving West – The Breakout
10. Standard Fare – The Noyelle Beat

Also good: Minipop - Automatic Love EP, Now Now Every Children – Neighbors EP, The New Pornographers – Together, Säkert! – Facit, Seapony - Seapony EP

Songs
1. Katie Goes to Tokyo - Before You Fell in Love With Her
2. Sambassadeur - Stranded
3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Say No to Love
4. Standard Fare - Love Doesn't Just Stop
5. Allo Darlin - Dreaming
6. Very Truly Yours - Your Funeral
7. Shrag - Rabbit Kids
8. Allo Darlin - My Heart Is a Drummer
9. Trembling Blue Stars - Cold Colours
10. Katie Goes to Tokyo - The Apartment, The Cat and The Dress
11. Minipop - Into the Night
12. Betty and the Werewolves - Paper Thin
13. The Jezabels - Sahara Mahala
14. Forest City Lovers - Minneapolis
15. Wild Nothing - Summer Holiday

2009

The year list of 2009 is finally complete and it is clear to me that my listening has been concentrated in a few albums. Lacrosse top the album chart, followed by a big gap down to second placed The Jezabels. When I listen to Bandages for the Heart it almost feels like the time before internet.

2010 will probably become a sort of comeback for the blog. I have some ideas I want to carry out, and it will be a very interesting year here on the blog if everything goes well.

Records
1. Lacrosse - Bandages for the Heart
2. The Jezabels - The Man Is Dead EP
3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (LP)
4. Strawberry Whiplash - Picture Perfect EP
5. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
6. The Afternoon Naps - Parade
7. Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning
8. Grand Archieves - Keep in Mind Frankenstein
9. The Starlets - I Wake Up Dreaming
10. Burning Hearts - Aboa Sleeping

Also good: The Fauns - The Fauns, Headlights - Wildlife, State Broadcasters - The Ship and the Iceberg, JJ - JJ no 2, Immaculate Machine - High on Jackson Hill, God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl


Songs
1. Lacrosse - Come Back Song #1
2. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
3. Camera Obscura - French Navy
4. The Jezabels - Disco Biscuit Love
5. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Stay Alive
6. Grand Archieves - Oslo Novelist
7. The Starlets - To the Winter Park
8. The Jezabels - Be a Star
9. Burning Hearts - I Lost My Colour Vision
10. Strawberry Whiplash - Celestial
11. Ohbijou - Wildfires
12. Sally Shapiro - Miracle
13. The Besties - Man vs Wild
14. Metric - Sick Muse
15. Anna Järvinen - Äppelöga

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction

The Aislers Set's brilliant album The Last Match was released on Slumberland Records in spring 2000. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart bring out the carbon paper nine years later, release their debut album on the same label and get the breakthrough The Aislers Set never had.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart entered my year list in 2007 with their self-titled EP. The five songs were very similar in sound. When I heard the opening track This Love Is Fucking Right a night out at Blekinska the following spring, I jokingly said that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have recorded the same song five times - but it is okay as the song is quite good.

I find a common theme now that I read what others write about The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's debut album. Nostalgic descriptions picture memories of bands such as The Pastels, Popsicle, My Bloody Valentine, and Lush. Except for already mentioned The Aislers Set, I also come to think about Ride.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart know their indie pop history very well, but it strikes me after a dozen listenings through the album that they completely lack a unique sound. The self-titled LP is one of 2009's best records so far thanks to amazing songs like Young Adult Friction and Stay Alive, but The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are far too gifted to throw away their talent on ambitious cover records.

Those who are introduced to indie pop music by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will perhaps remember this album as one of the special records in their lives. For the rest of us it just remains a good album. There is something sad about the chorus of praise ignoring the obvious influences and the knowledge that copies all too often become larger than the originals.