New York is known as “the city of dreams” and it was certainly the place where dreams came true for indie band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. The New York-based band formed in 2007 and released their self-titled EP that same year and two years later, their self-titled album was released. While the lineup of the band has changed, their passion for their music has remained. Now they have released a new EP called “Hell” and it is far from hellacious. Don’t let the title fool you; this is an album you are going to have fun with.

Given that the EP and title track are called Hell, I initially expected to hear something dark and gloomy. This track is the complete opposite. Hell is an upbeat and fun pop track that I caught myself dancing to. Contrary to the title, this actually has a happier and sunny sound. The awesome sounds just keep on coming. The steady drums and guitar make the track a song that is perfect to dance to. “Ballad of the Band” is up-tempo, but now has a mix of pop and country. Unlike Hell, this song is a little mellow and relaxed, but it is one we can all dance to, but enjoy on a peaceful day as well.

Now we have come to the end of this wonderful EP with the powerful track Laid. This track has every ounce of rock in it. The guitars and rapid drum beats give this song its vibrant energy and are something the fans will dance to.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s EP Hell contains three songs, but those three songs were all I needed to hear to know we have a hit on our hands. Each song has something that makes them spectacular and I am happy I had a chance to listen to all of them. From the sound of energetic pop rock (Hell) to the mellowed and smooth sounds of pop, country and rock and roll (“Ballad of the Band”, “Laid”), the Hell EP is definitely something that the fans are going to enjoy.

Final Grade: A

About The Author

Lauren Beverly

Music Reviewer

I love to write and have been doing so since the age of eight. Fictional stories have always been a favorite of mine, because it gives me a chance to be creative and to express myself in a multitude of ways. On more than one occasion, a song proved to be the inspiration to several stories I have written. Believe it or not, some of those songs were on soundtracks! That’s mostly what I listen to, aside from hits from the 1950’s up to the 1980’s. I’ve learned that anything can be the inspiration to a story, even a poster from the 1990’s or a DVD cover.

I’ve lived in Upper Marlboro all of my life and spent much of my childhood watching cartoons of all kinds, and listening to my older sister’s cassette tapes. Growing up, I listened to everything Jackson related, Paula Abdul, Elton John, and even the controversial group Milli Vanilli. As a teenager, I continued to listen to old-school hits and that was pretty much all I liked, aside from listening to all of Michael Jackson’s music. To this day, I still love old-school hits. That hasn’t changed.

I own a variety of CDs from artists such as Styx, The BeeGees, Michael Jackson, Queen, The Yellow Submarine Soundtrack, and many others. When a soundtrack comes out, there will always be one specific song from that album that I’ll love. It never fails.

I’ve graduated from Bowie State University in December 2013 with a B.A. degree in English.

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