The Pains of Being Pure at Heart burst onto the late-2000s Brooklyn indie scene with a shimmering sound that blended the jangle and dreaminess of C86 and early Slumberland, Sarah, and Creation label pop. Yet, they rooted their aesthetic firmly in an American sensibility, drawing from bands like Smashing Pumpkins and The Exploding Hearts. Their 2009 self-titled debut remains a cornerstone of indie pop, a record that defined a moment while feeling timeless. Now, with Perfect RightNow, the story of The Pains’ formative years gets a thrilling encore.
This collection of ten tracks dives deep into the vault, bringing together cherished—and long out-of-print—B-sides from the debut-era 7”s, highlights from the Higher Than the Stars EP, rarities from split singles, and even “Say No to Love,” a standout track that hints at the band’s next creative evolution. It’s a treasure trove of lost gems, with songs like “Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan” and the self-referential “The Pains of Being Pure at Heart” still igniting indie dancefloors from Göteborg to Glasgow. These aren’t mere relics—they’re vibrant, melodic bursts of nostalgia that feel as immediate as ever.
Kip Berman, the band’s frontman, sums it up best: “Many of these songs, like those on our debut, were written in that now—fueled by wild pop fantasies more than polished musical skill. And though that now has become an irrevocable then, the spirit remains: there’s nothing better than making music with your friends and dreaming big, even if it’s only for ‘about 18 people,’ as our Myspace page once proudly proclaimed.”
Perfect RightNow is more than a compilation; it’s a celebration of a band that dared to dream and left an enduring mark on indie pop.