Passion Pit - Manners

Manners is the first full-length from Passion Pit released on Frenchkiss Records. After being turned on to the Chunk of Change EP a couple of months ago, I have been awaiting new material from the, now what we know as a, group. The original EP was a smattering of songs written by singer Michael Angelakos and were only meant for his girlfriend. As the story goes, somehow the tracks wound up being heard by somebody important and an ensuing record deal followed. Angelakos quickly formed a band and played some shows before hitting the studio to record the full length.

The great thing about this record is there are countless albums and artists that it can be compared with. Postal Service, Animal Collective, Caribou and perhaps Radiohead all have a somewhat similar feel. This albums encapsulates aspects from what has been done previous and takes it to the next level. Each track is uniquely composed and I can't help but find myself nodding along. "Sleepyhead" the only track that makes its way onto Manners from Chunk of Change is certainly the high point. But don't be fooled, every song from start to finish takes you through a journey that some of the aforementioned artists have a difficult time providing.

Angleakos' high-pitched vocals may not be easy on the ears the first time through, but there is so much more to grasp on to. "Let Your Love Grow Tall" has a near rock breakdown with a snazzy drum beat that even wallflowers will find themselves wanting to bust onto the dancefloor. This is the record The Killers would love to make!

This album needs to be heard! Don't let this one pass you by! Overall the ratings are as follows:

1. Listen start to finish - 19
2. Listen again within a week - 20
3. Originality - 14
4. Advancement - 16
5. Remorse - 18

That gives the album a total rating of 87.