Passion Pit and School of Seven Bells

Manners

I know I'm late to the game on this one, but Passion Pit's Manners has been on heavy rotation since I picked it up a couple of weeks ago.

It's thick with synth, electro, and falsetto, but damn if it doesn't work. It's an album that's just, well, fun. It's bright and colorful, and is exactly right for summer festivals and adventures. "Moth's Wings" is almost Polyphonic Spree levels of euphoria (but not nearly as ridiculous).

And then you pay attention to the lyrics. They're dark and yearning and don't seem to fit the mood of the music at all, but somehow it's right. Maybe it's way they're sung, maybe it's because they're just one of twenty layers of music, but they're subtle. Manners keeps getting better the more I listen to it.

Disconnect From Desire

I've been looking forward to Disconnect From Desire since I picked up SVIIB's Alpinisms albums a few months ago, and the new release is seriously sweet. It's stronger, more energetic, less new age and more rock.

"Heart is Strange" is heavy enough on the dance I don't think early SVIIB could have pulled it off; I would have likely chalked it up as a good remix. "The Wait" hits the spot for me between dreamy and indie rock. "Babelonia", the song they released as a preview track a few months back, remains my favorite, but in no way is that a bad thing. The album is strong, and now I'm really looking forward to their San Francisco tour stop later this year.