It was evident after the release of Passion Pit’s debut EP, ‘Chunk of Change’ that they were destined for big things.  Lead by frontman Michael Angelakos and his patent shrill falsetto – their unique sound made scores of indie music fans swoon at first listen.  Much of their first album is filled with more rough-around-the-edges vocals, but catchy electronic melody to back it up.  With the release of ‘Manners’, Passion Pit takes it to a whole new level, showing greater depth and an unabashed embrace of their unique style.

Right away, Make Light helps set the tone for the rest of the album – just a cleaner (not tamer) composition in general, but with the same high energy pop-synth that their fans grew to love them for.  The rest of the album follows suit, illustrating a true evolution from ‘Chunk of Change’ into a fully developed sound.  The first single off the new album called The Reeling is a perfect example, showcasing their talent and pulling out all the stops.  Even going so far as to include a children’s choir to help sing the hook (a la Justice – D.A.N.C.E., anyone?). The only areas in which they falter are some of their softer songs. Albeit, I am a bit biased, as I’ve seen them perform live and find their biggest asset to be their liveliness, especially during the more dance-able songs.

‘Manners’ has already made a splash in the online community.  Even before their anticipated May 19^th release, multiple Passion Pit songs have been taking over Hype Machine’s Popular list and also featured on the We Are Hunted Emerging Artist list.  Really looking forward to seeing and hearing more from this band, and also curious to see where they go next.  Also, the guys at stereotype.fm are super-stoked to see them perform at their record release party aboard The Temptress Yacht on the Hudson River. More on that later…

The full album is streaming on Myspace