The State That We Are In: Indie Pop Time Capsule at the Crocodile

Editor's Note: This post was written by our newest music writer, Doug Fehlen

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart became darlings of the national indie music scene upon the release of their self-titled debut in 2009. So infectious was the record that even scene-wary types were able to get past the uber-buzz that accompanied the band’s arrival. In their favor was a winning authenticity not commonly found among bands riding the wave of the industry hype machine. For a micro-generation that came of age with the youthful and meandering innocence of Belle and Sebastian, the New York-based group ably stepped in as a more up-tempo replacement. Indeed, the band seemed what many fans felt Belle and Sebastian no longer was.

The present finds the Pains of Being Pure at Heart entering new territory, flirting with more mainstream success while working to retain the credibility earned with their full-length debut. The band took the stage at the Crocodile Friday night in support of Belong, a well-received sophomore record featuring a bigger, bolder presence that has been described by many critics as a natural progression for their sound. Catchy cuts off the new record like "Heart in Your Heartbreak" were complemented by longtime favorites that included "Come Saturday" and "Young Adult Friction." With the band in solid form and an enthusiastic crowd behind them, the night featured a feel-good vibe captured well in the video for "Heart in Your Heartbreak." While the Pains of Being Pure at Heart may be metamorphosing into something else, something bigger, for one night fans old and new alike could claim the band for their own.

Also on hand at the Crocodile Friday was Twin Shadow. Sometimes broadbrushed with the ‘chillwave’ label, the music vehicle of Brooklynite George Lewis Jr. featured fresh instrumentation and vocal stylings resistant to such simple categorization. Local favorites Sea Pony opened things up with a brand of jangly guitars and sweet vocals that recalled the finest efforts of Beat Happening. An appreciative crowd listened reverently to the set, capped off by a rousing rendition of the impossibly sweet "With You."

On a busy night around town, the Crocodile was the spot for those seeking a perfect blend of synthy nostalgia, twee escapism and shoegaze ennui.