If you haven't heard the buzz around Passion Pit, you haven't been
paying attention to buzz. But let's just say, for argument's sake,
that you haven't. The band Passion Pit evokes feelings of giddiness
and anticipation, of exuberance and joy. Think of the best of indie
pop and the best of electronic music and you'll be in the right realm
to receive this band. Full of catchy melodies and pulsing beats, the
music of Passion Pit is rendered on stage with the aid of seven
different keyboards, along with guitar, bass, drums, and laptop.

Hailing from Cambridge, Massachusetts, the band was formed in 2007 and
was practically famous the next day. Millions of ears had already
heard "Sleepyhead" and were poised to be loyal fans even before
Passion Pit released their first full-length album, Manners, in spring
2009.

This is the fresh music of youth with a musical sophistication that
comes only after years of writing practice. And at the tender age of
21, frontman Michael Angelakos really does have that experience under
his belt, having been pounding out melodies since he was five. The
band has been mentioned in the same breath as Brian Wilson, Randy
Newman, Hall & Oates, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, but the band they
are perhaps most often - and most closely - compared to is MGMT. It is
fair to say that if you are a fan of any of the aforementioned groups,
Passion Pit is worth a listen. JOELLE JAFFE