Pitty Sing- Pitty Sing

Hailing from New York, Pitty Sing specialize in soaring, melodic, energetic rock on their self-titled debut. While Pitty Sing deny the influence of Simple Minds and The Smiths on their work (citing the fact that they never listened to those bands growing up), the apparently oft-made comparisons to those two groups are certainly valid. Charismatic vocalist Paul Holmes shares certain aspects of timbre and inflection with both Morrissey and Jim Kerr, while the band's sometimes epic, sometimes straightforward electronic-infused rock sound also shares common elements with both bands ("We're on Drugs", in particular, has Morrissey written all over it). The band's retro appeal, however, while more or less undeniable, is anchored by more modern alt rock influences and stylistic tendencies that create something of a hybrid that's more than the sum of its parts.

From the opening "Prelude", a lush, melodramatic film soundtrack that morphs into a dark experimental industrial dirge, to the wailing guitars, pulsating synth arpeggios, and epic finale of the closing "Robots", Pitty Sing is a spectacular musical journey. Top tracks here include the anthemic, powerful "Bleeding Hearts" (arguably the best here) and the disc's wisely chosen (sans the obvious need for substantial editing for FCC purposes) energetic lead single, "Radio", featuring a very dynamic and memorable intro that translates into a great chorus. The slightly 90s-Duran Duran-esque ballad "Fallen" and the rhythmic, moody, modern electro-pop of "Motherlover" are also quite strong. While the rest of the tracks here take a backseat to the disc's glaringly obvious standouts, they're also quite solid with plenty of spectacular hooks, great performances, and a huge, layered sound that, alone, could probably carry the album but doesn't need to.

Whether you're a fan of the comparable 80s bands that, again, didn't influence Pitty Sing or remotely similar new wave-infused modern rockers like The Killers and Franz Ferdinand, you'll likely find Pitty Sing's self-titled debut to be a remarkable, dynamic, impressive offering with soaring epic highs and plenty of energy. Some albums have a few spectacular tracks that stand out. Others are solid from start to finish. Pitty Sing, however, combine both categories into one cohesive package on their debut, scattering a few particularly catchy singles around a solid album with depth.