I love The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, their first album was a fave of 2009. The subsequent EPs OK with me. They are like Belle And Sebastian without the folk leanings and irony at with better melodies/ Yes, they are that good.
Indeed, they are so good I take a fine song like their dropping December 24th, 2010 seven incher, “Heart In Your Heartbreak” entirely for granted. Pretty, lo-fi, slapped drums, instantly catchy… been there, done that.
And speaking of followups to first albums I liked a lot, “Weekend”, the first song off Smith Westerns sophomore effort sounds what they claimed it would: Brit pop. But Brit Pop I haven’t heard before. With a tasty guitar breaks, and sweet harmonies, and a strong, sturdy, cycle of sound that splits wonderfully down the middle, this might do them a world of good