Concrete Playground

I don't know how many times I have listened to The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's self titled record (upwards of 100, it feels), and read about them in a hefty amount of 2009 Best Ofs, but I had no idea they're from New York. I had them pegged as a British band — musicians with parents either tied to Sarah Records or who had at least played them NME's C81 compilation in utero. If not, I thought, perhaps they could maybe, just maybe, be from Flying Nun era New Zealand. I thought, at the very least, that we had the Queen in common. Not so!

Lucky I'm no Commonwealth purist, because The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are delightful in that soft, indiepop, shoegazey (but in a more bookish way), whiskey at the picnic vibe. We're talking about a band whose press photos include such objects as: falling glitter and confetti (see above), handmade cardboard moon and stars and when they're not posing with these, they're lying in the grass or looking dreamily from rooftops.

If you're familiar with their current label, Slumberland Records buying tickets is a complete no-brainer. Their ranks have included The Aislers Set, Boyracer, Beatnik Filmstars, Stereolab, The Softies...Swirlies! In other words, these, my friends, are hallowed pop halls in which they hang their slightly scruffy coats. In Sydney they'll be supported by Bachelorette & Canvas Kites.