The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars EP

Who can blame The Pains of Being Pure at Heart for releasing an EP to help them stay on their fans' radar? It's a smart move, and one that in this instance is fueled by four new original songs and one remix by Saint Etienne. Each song is pretty much in the same vein as Pains' self-titled debut: woozy, romanticized pop songs that recall shoegaze leanings only learned by listening to a lot of My Bloody Valentine. The title track opens the EP well with a swirling Cure-esque melody, followed by Kip Berman's muffled vocals and more upbeat synths. The crunchy chords of "103" follow next, as does the delicate pop of "Falling Over," both songs giving it their best effort but not as immediately appealing as the title track. Saint Etienne's remix of "Higher Than The Stars" takes the original and spins it into a dance song, complete with an engaging back-beat, to end the EP on a creative note. Overall, Higher Than The Stars is not a bad EP and definitely recommended if you're a fan.

DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Higher Than The Stars EP [Slumberland]
Recommended Tracks: "Higher Than The Stars," "103," "Higher Than The Stars (Saint Etienne Visits Lord Spank Mix)."