When I’ve listened to Passion Pit in the past it has often conjured up images of sunlight streaming through a silky curtain. Very specific, I know. So suffice it to say that their new album, Gossamer, is aptly named.
This is the first full-length album that the band has released since Manners in 2009, and the delicate, twinkly sound that made Passion Pit a hit three years ago was immediately apparent when I first listened to Gossamer. But singer Michael Angelakos takes us to a slightly darker (and more dynamic) place with this album. While Passion Pit’s sound is as upbeat as ever, Angelakos sings about the highs and lows of life a brutally honest fashion. In “Cry Like A Ghost,” lyrics like “And yes, I drank all those drinks on my own/My life’s become some blurry little quest” expose the heartbreak and desperation the artist has felt in his life.
However, in no way is Gossamer a pity party. “Take A Walk,” a song about an immigrant and his hardships, is playful, inspiring and will easily be the most popular track on the album. “I’ll Be Alright” and “Carried Away” are equally cheery-sounding (but not annoyingly so). “Constant Conversations,” with its smooth, R&B style, is easily my favorite though. Who knew that an electro-pop band could have so much soul? All in all, this is a solid album that I would highly recommend to anyone who liked Manners.
This article appears in Jul 19-25, 2012.
