Not Many Experts

So today someone told me “Manners” had leaked. My caps locks was turned on. I got really excited. I got a nose bleed. Eventually, I calmed down, downloaded the righteous megabytes and gave it a listen. All I can tell you is that this album is going to top a lot of people’s end of year lists; it’s no Animal Collective in terms of inventiveness, but as far as electro or pop albums go, “Manners” completely blows 2009s other records out of the water. Bands often complain that hype puts too much pressure on them, but it clearly hasn’t phased Passion Pit who may just have released the finest accidental album ever.

Below you can stream “Little Secrets” in 192kpbs, it’s one of my favourites (from a long list). Pre order your copy of “Manners” from Insound and get a free poster.

This post sort of conveniently segues in with the features I am doing at the moment about the bands on the BBC’s Longlist, but I had actually asked for an interview with Passion Pit well before everyone started twisting ears over the Longlist. It’s almost as if I knew Passion Pit were going to be on the BBC’s list… Well, it would have been fairly easy to guess it, since I can guarantee that the Cambridge (USA) based wonky popticians‘ name will be popping up on every blog from here (the bottom) to Stereogum (the top) when everybody gets over their end of year lists and the fact that 2008 sucked, and starts looking into 2009.

Buy Passion Pit’s “Chunk of Change” here – also, many thanks to Kip & Passion Pit for the interview.

Your sound is almost impossible to pigeon-hole (the only genre that I think describes it properly would be “wonky pop”), who have been major influences on this?

Wonky Pop! I guess Randy Newman is pretty ‘wonky’. So are Hot Chip – though they would be Quirky Pop. We’ve been listening to a lot of J Pop (Capsule) but that has been more recent. I guess Todd Rundgren and Giorgio Moroder too help toward the cause.

Over the past few months everything “Passion Pit” has really blown up, does this surprise you, or was it always your ambition?

None of us expected it! When we started playing it was just to have fun with keyboards, and since then its become our full time jobs. Within a year, that’s pretty surprising! I’m just trying to graduate college. Which I hopefully will have by January. (Fingers Crossed)

I heard that Michael said that none of the songs from recent EP “Chunk of Change” will end up on next year’s album; was that a hard choice to make, given that people have become so attached to the current songs?

Not at all. It makes much more sense, those songs were all written in his bedroom at least over a year ago! The full length is a departure from the EP , none of the songs would fit with the new material. Chunk of Change will always be available, so those who are attached can still remain attached!

Whilst we’re on the subject, when can we expect the full album?

I believe in May… I want to say the 12th but don’t hold me to it.

Who are the mysterious voices at the start of “Better Things”?

Ah that is Mr Angelakos and his brother Matt at a young age. Those days when you would make radio shows or sing songs onto cassette tapes. Apparently he had them laying around somewhere and dropped them into the beginning of better things.

What are your ambitions for Passion Pit? Would you like to see your songs up in the charts, or would success/fame scare you?

Whatever happens really. I need to research a bit a find out who runs these charts and how many there are… Either way I probably say it would weird me out much before it scared me.

2008 has been an interesting year for music, who do you think will be dominating the charts in 2009?

I always get made fun of by the guys for not really knowing what’s in. They tried to convince me that a Sufan Stevens song was the new Jack Johnson… So I really wouldn’t be a good judge. Probably something Jay-Z or Kanye worked on…

Download mp3: Passion Pit – Better Things

Please buy their fantastic debut EP “Chunk of Change” here! It’s a good 6 tracks long, and each track is absolutely fantastic; it completely eclipses almost all of the albums that have been churned out in 2008. Oh since it’s the credit crunch and all that, start counting the pennies for “maybe” May 12th. Start a car wash, pick up pennies from the street, sell high quality leaves, whatever.

This post sort of conveniently segues in with the features I am doing at the moment about the bands on the BBC’s Longlist, but I had actually asked for an interview with Passion Pit well before everyone started twisting ears over the Longlist. It’s almost as if I knew Passion Pit were going to be on the BBC’s list… Well, it would have been fairly easy to guess it, since I can guarantee that the Cambridge (USA) based wonky popticians‘ name will be popping up on every blog from here (the bottom) to Stereogum (the top) when everybody gets over their end of year lists and the fact that 2008 sucked, and starts looking into 2009.

Buy Passion Pit’s “Chunk of Change” here – also, many thanks to Kip & Passion Pit for the interview.

Your sound is almost impossible to pigeon-hole (the only genre that I think describes it properly would be “wonky pop”), who have been major influences on this?

Wonky Pop! I guess Randy Newman is pretty ‘wonky’. So are Hot Chip – though they would be Quirky Pop. We’ve been listening to a lot of J Pop (Capsule) but that has been more recent. I guess Todd Rundgren and Giorgio Moroder too help toward the cause.

Over the past few months everything “Passion Pit” has really blown up, does this surprise you, or was it always your ambition?

None of us expected it! When we started playing it was just to have fun with keyboards, and since then its become our full time jobs. Within a year, that’s pretty surprising! I’m just trying to graduate college. Which I hopefully will have by January. (Fingers Crossed)

I heard that Michael said that none of the songs from recent EP “Chunk of Change” will end up on next year’s album; was that a hard choice to make, given that people have become so attached to the current songs?

Not at all. It makes much more sense, those songs were all written in his bedroom at least over a year ago! The full length is a departure from the EP , none of the songs would fit with the new material. Chunk of Change will always be available, so those who are attached can still remain attached!

Whilst we’re on the subject, when can we expect the full album?

I believe in May… I want to say the 12th but don’t hold me to it.

Who are the mysterious voices at the start of “Better Things”?

Ah that is Mr Angelakos and his brother Matt at a young age. Those days when you would make radio shows or sing songs onto cassette tapes. Apparently he had them laying around somewhere and dropped them into the beginning of better things.

What are your ambitions for Passion Pit? Would you like to see your songs up in the charts, or would success/fame scare you?

Whatever happens really. I need to research a bit a find out who runs these charts and how many there are… Either way I probably say it would weird me out much before it scared me.

2008 has been an interesting year for music, who do you think will be dominating the charts in 2009?

I always get made fun of by the guys for not really knowing what’s in. They tried to convince me that a Sufan Stevens song was the new Jack Johnson… So I really wouldn’t be a good judge. Probably something Jay-Z or Kanye worked on…

Download mp3: Passion Pit – Better Things

Please buy their fantastic debut EP “Chunk of Change” here! It’s a good 6 tracks long, and each track is absolutely fantastic; it completely eclipses almost all of the albums that have been churned out in 2008. Oh since it’s the credit crunch and all that, start counting the pennies for “maybe” May 12th. Start a car wash, pick up pennies from the street, sell high quality leaves, whatever.