fuck yeah the pains of being pure at heart

Kip Berman the Pastels - The Talkhouse

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:57:38 -0400

Kip wrote about the new Pastels LP.

THIS IS YOUR LIST NOW #5 with Kip Berman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:04:20 -0400

With THIS IS YOUR LIST NOW, I ask artists to fill out a set of lists about the music in their lives. For the fifth THIS IS YOUR LIST NOW, Kip Berman, frontman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, was nice enough to complete the lists.

First Album You Ever Bought

It was probably a Weird Al Yankovic record. As I got to be a teenager, I remember buying Papas Fritas’ s/t album and Yo La Tengo’s “Electr-O-Pura” at Repo Records in Bryn Mawr. I listened to both of those a lot, and I’m still pretty convinced that they’re classics.

First Band You Truly Cared About

Plow United - They lived pretty close to where I lived (Philadelphia suburbs - West Chester Rock City!) and played local all ages DIY shows. They seemed like “stars” in a weird way, even though they just played house shows, the YWCA and the Unitarian Church basement. I think they wrote really good songs, and their first two records were a definite soundtrack for me and my friends. I also cared a lot about Weston, because their lyrics seemed like my life, but they lived slightly further away (Allentown, PA) so I didn’t get to see them play as much.

Five Favorite Albums

This list changes all the time.

Margo Guryan - Take a Picture

The Pastels - Sittin’ Pretty

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes

The Aislers Set - The Last Match

Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic

Five Most Underrated/Under-reported Bands

The Prids - I never want to put other bands down to talk about why a band is great, but The Prids were (and still are) so utterly correct. There were a lot of “post punk” sort of bands in the 2000s that tried to do the “sad teenagers for life” thing, but most of them felt so superficial. The Prids are vivid and intense people, and their music channels all those things that makes you remember that music really can be all consuming and MATTER. They live communally, play tons of benefit shows for good causes and make incredible records.

My Favorite - This band was at the wrong place at the wrong time. They were playing this emphatic, romantic indiepop (with a strong undercurrent of actual punk) a few years before it became “acceptable” to have a keyboard on stage at indie rock shows. I’m not sure if people understand how musically conservative indie rock was in the 90s and early 2000s. It was almost all sweaty dudes with guitars singing about not trying very hard and feeling whatever. There were obvious exceptions like Helium, Sarge, Stereolab and the more gender balanced bands on Kill Rock Stars, K Records, Sarah and tons of smaller labels. But for the most part, My Favorite were completely at odds with the indie scene of their era and never really caught on as more than a cult thing. All but one member have formed a new band in a similar vein called The Secret History that are also very good.

Evans the Death - They’re fantastic. I don’t know why they’re not famous. The world sucks sometimes.

Fear of Men - We got to play some shows with Fear of Men in France, and I really fell in love with their music. They’re the sort of band that takes a while to appreciate. Their songs are well-written, but subtle. They have a collection of early singles on Kanine Records called “Early Fragments” well worth listening to.

Felt - Their claim to fame is that they made ten immensely great records and are almost as immensely unknown. So maybe if everyone loved Felt as much as I did, they’d just vanish. Still, I wish Cherry Red would at least re-issue their albums. I played one of their records for my mom, and she really liked it, which is how I determine if music is timeless or just a fad.

Five Current Artists Worth Listening To

Wild Nothing - Jack Tatum’s songwriting feels really unforced. Some bands sound like they’re always “going for it,” but Wild Nothing knows where it is they want to be and will arrive at it in their own time. It’s hard to explain, but his songs sound confident in themselves without ever seeming boastful.

The Ice Choir - Kurt [Feldman]’s definitely the best musician in Pains. His new project, The Ice Choir is really remarkable and sincere. Afar is a beautiful record.

Veronica Falls - I think they’re the best indiepop band around right now. The drummer is from Scotland, and like a lot of Scottish bands (Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels, Vaselines, Orange Juice, etc.) they have that perfect balance between sweet and dirty. Maybe the other members are from England and are really offended if I say the band sounds Scottish, but I only mean it as a complement. “Teenage,” the first single from their new record, is probably my favorite song of 2013.

Weekend - They are dark. So dark. Their new record comes out this summer and from what I hear it’s very good.

Flowers - They have a 7” on Cloudberry Records and one on Odd Box Records. They are pretty special, and I think some of their best songs have yet to be released, so keep an eye out for them.

Favorite Show You Have Ever Attended

Belle and Sebastian on September 11, 2001 in Portland, OR. I just wanted the world not to end, and seeing one of my favorite bands just go on stage and play the songs I loved really meant a lot to me.

Favorite Show You Have Ever Played

Chorlton Irish Center in Manchester - This venue was just an old workingman’s hall. It smelled nasty, it was hot and sweaty. I don’t mean to romanticize those things, but the show was just perfect in a way that’s nearly impossible to replicate.

Five Artists You Would Love to Work With

I just don’t really think this way. I like making our records the way we make them. Whoever happens to be in Pains is who I want to make records with.

Five Bands that Deserve a Resurgence in Popularity

Close Lobsters

Manhattan Love Suicides

The House of Love

Margo Guryan

Sarge

Thanks Kip! Check out the Pains music at:

http://www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com

https://www.facebook.com/ThePainsofBeingPureatHeart

Stay tuned for more entries to come! - Alex Cunningham

Are The Pains now with House Under Magic records, as per the photos from their Instagram?

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:01:00 -0400

Is House Under Magic records an actual label? I’ve never heard of it, and a quick google search just came up empty. Also, The Pains’ Instagram hasn’t been updated in quite some time… Sorry, I can’t help you?

Kip Berman > the Killers - The Talkhouse

Sat, 04 May 2013 18:05:45 -0400

Kip Berman > the Killers - The Talkhouse:

Kip wrote about how much he likes The Killers for The Talkhouse.

Also, that site is incredible; I urge you to read other things on it.

One time Kip wrote about K-pop. We failed to report.

Strange - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:56:00 -0400

Strange - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

croppedmistakes: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Direction:...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:16:05 -0400

croppedmistakes:

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

Direction: “Act like dinosaurs.”

I haven’t seen this movie, so I don’t know for sure,...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:55:00 -0400

I haven’t seen this movie, so I don’t know for sure, but I believe it’s about virginity loss, and I believe it has “Anne With An E” on its soundtrack.

“Heavens Gonna Happen Now” filmed in Copenhagen...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:33:00 -0400

“Heavens Gonna Happen Now” filmed in Copenhagen 8/19/2011.

SXSW.

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:40:33 -0400

SXSW.

3/16/2013 Austin, TX SXSW.

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:29:00 -0400

3/16/2013 Austin, TX SXSW.

Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:28:22 -0400

Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Exclusive: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart — “Until the Sun Explodes” | MTV IGGY

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:07:00 -0400

Exclusive: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart — “Until the Sun Explodes” | MTV IGGY:

when’s the last time you went to a church basement indiepopcalypse rager?

MTV Iggy goes behind the scenes of The Pains’ video for...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:34:00 -0400

MTV Iggy goes behind the scenes of The Pains’ video for their new track “Until The Sun Explodes” directed by Tyson Wade Johnston.

any idea when the next album may be out?

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:02:00 -0500

I believe they’re recording this spring, so (if that’s right) probably sometime before 2013 is through.

So, what's all this about a Kip solo project?

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:18:11 -0500

I don’t know, but an actual Kip solo project seems unlikely. He’s playing Baltimore Popfest stag but I imagine it’ll just look something like him playing “Contender” alone at the end of most Pains shows.

baltimorepopfest: Tickets available...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 22:33:44 -0500

baltimorepopfest:

Tickets available now

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/343137

Jowe Head(UK, ex-Swell Maps, Television Personalities)

Sea Lions (Oxnard, California)

Golden Grrrls (Glasgow, UK)

Kip (New York, New York)

Wildhoney (Baltimore, Maryland)

What Next? (New York, New York)

Pet Milk (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Crimson Wave (Baltimore, Maryland)

Foul Swoops (Arlington, Virginia)

http://www.facebook.com/events/122650054573492

http://www.facebook.com/baltimorepopfest

Kip is playing (as Kip) at Baltimore Popfest this year!

How did you like playing at a church? Alex: Fun! Kip:...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:00:51 -0500

How did you like playing at a church?

Alex: Fun!

Kip: Weird!

read the rest of the interview here.

via MTV Iggy

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 10:00:31 -0500

via MTV Iggy

Indie Pop Prom @ 285Kent 2/28/2013.

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:17:00 -0500

Indie Pop Prom @ 285Kent 2/28/2013.

kip dressed for the indie pop prom.

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:44:55 -0500

kip dressed for the indie pop prom.