It's all about being 'Pure' (Purity Ring, Pure X, Puro Instinct, The Pains of Being & even Prurient)

written with Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Puro Instinct – “Stilyagi” (Feat. Ariel Pink) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Purity Ring – “Ungirthed” (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Purity Ring – “Lofticries” (MP3)

Pure X

Caves are so 2010, and animals names are prehistoric to the point that people are probably digging up their fossils. ‘Pure’ is totally in right now (even more so than ‘Twin’), as Cave must have realized when they named their latest release “Pure Moods“. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (who have a new video and tour dates below) may have been on to something in 2007, though they have too many words in their name to really focus in on pure. Lately bands have been zeroing in on this phenomenon. Pure, if you’re listening, maybe it’s time to reunite again.

Pure X (formerly Pure Ecstasy) released their first full length Pleasure on Tuesday (7/5) and will be in NYC this week to play 285 Kent on Friday (7/8) and Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday (7/9). Bill talks more about both shows in This Week In Indie. Pleasure is streaming below along with both NYC show flyers.

—
Puro Instinct @ Mercury Lounge (more by Amanda Hatfield)

A slightly less pure version of the word can be found in the Mexican Summer-signed Puro Instinct who, probably to get closer to pure, recently changed their name from Pearl Harbor. Their debut LP under Puro Instinct, Headbangers in Ecstasy, was released back in February. They played four NYC shows last week. Stereogum likes them, but not as much as they like Pure X. Gorilla vs. Bear thinks they’re way better than Pure X though. Bill says, “They can really sing and play…better songs will come with time. They’re young.” Ariel Pink likes them too. They opened for him on tour and at Irving Plaza back when they were still called Pearl Harbor (and are touring now with Ariel’s friend John Maus). Ariel also collaborated with the band on the single “Stilyagi.” Grab that MP3 above and watch the video for the track below.

So, Pure X, formerly Pure Ecstasy, who released Pleasure, are not to be confused with Puro Instinct, formerly Pearl Harbor who released Headbangers in Ecstasy. But that’s not all…

—
Purity Ring (photo by Chris Tait

Corin Roddick from Gobble Gobble wised up earlier this year, and formed the duo Purity Ring with Megan James. They played their first show last month at Sled Island in Calgary, AB. They were the secret guest the last night of the fest at Hifi Club before Twin Shadow played. They’re pictured above in an alleyway outside of the show taken right after they played. They’ve got a few other festival appearances scheduled including Bumbershoot, FYF Fest, MusicfestNW, and POP Montreal. All of their tour dates are listed below (and that includes a show with Twin Sister who the Pains of Being Pure at Heart also have dates scheduled with). Their only release so far is the single for “Ungirthed” b/w “Lofticries.” Both tracks are pretty awesome dubsteppy electropop that the group have dubbed future pop. Grab both MP3s above, one of which also appears on Gorilla vs Bear’s mid-year list.

Though older and a bit noisier, it’s not unlikely that the similarly named Prurient (aka Dominick Fernow) could end up on the same bill as any of the aforementioned artists – especially considering Prurient just played Public Assembly on June 17 as part of a Stereogum Northside show, and Stereogum’s Top 20 Albums of 2011 (so far) list includes not only Prurient, but also Puro Instinct, Pure X, and even an honorable mention for the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Prurient aka Dominick was smart to return with a new album this year to distance himself from his other band with the now outdated name, Cold Cave. Prurient’s new LP Bermuda Drain drops July 19 via Hydra Head. Grab the track “A Meal Can Be Made” from that here.

Videos, dates and album stream below…

—
Puro Instinct – “Stilyagi” Feat. Ariel Pink Official Video

Puro Instinct feat. Ariel Pink ‘Stilyagi’ from Marcus Herring on Vimeo.

Pure X – Pleasure
Pure X: Pleasure by alteredzones

Friday July 8th @ 285 KENT AVE
:: CHOCOLATE BOBKA presents
:: http://chocolatebobka.blogspot.com
:: Pure X
:::: Tonstartbandht
:::::: FORMA
:::::::: RUN DMT
:: dj McGregor
:: visuals by VC Childkraft
| 285 KENT AVE |
285 Kent Ave @ South 1st | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | $tba | all ages

Pure X – 2011 Tour Dates
7/8 NYC – 285 Kent
7/9 NYC – DING DONG
7/23 DALLAS, TX – Granada Theatre

—
Purity Ring — 2011 Tour Dates
Tue 08/23/11 Mohawk Place Buffalo NY
Wed 08/24/11 The Summit Columbus OH
Thu 08/25/11 Pygmalion Fest Champagn IL
Fri 08/26/11 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines IA
Sat 08/27/11 Larimer Lounge Denver CO
Sun 08/28/11 The VFW Santa Fe NM w/ Kuhrye-oo
Mon 08/29/11 Solar Culture Tucson AZ w/ Kuhrye-oo
Tue 08/30/11 Rhythm Room Phoenix AZ w/ Kuhrye-oo
Wed 08/31/11 Soda Bar San Diego CA w/ Kuhrye-oo
Thu 09/01/11 Muddy Waters Santa Barbara CA w/ Kuhrye-oo
Wed 09/07/11 Electric Owl Vancouver BC w/ Twin Sister
Thu 09/08/11 Doug Fir Lounge Portland OR

—
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “The Body” Official Video

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart — 2011 Tour Dates
07-31 Montreal, Quebec Osheaga Music and Arts Festival
08-01 Toronto, Ontario Sonic Boom
08-02 Toronto, Ontario Opera House ^
08-03 Pontiac, MI Crofoot Ballroom ^
08-04 Newport, KY Southgate House ^
08-05 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway ^
08-06 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle *Appearing at “Lollapalooza Aftershows”
08-07 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza *Appearing at “Lollapalooza”
08-08 New York, NY Terminal 5 @
08-09 New York, NY Terminal 5 @
09-23 Philadelphia, PA Popped! Festival *Appearing at “Popped! Festival” w/ The Shins, Girl Talk, Pretty Lights
09-24 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom &
09-25 Urbana, IL Pygmalion Festival &
09-26 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon &
09-28 Winnipeg, Montreal Royal Albert &
09-30 Calgary, Alberta Dickens Pub &
10-01 Edmonton, Alberta The Starlite Room &
10-03 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret &
10-04 Seattle, WA The Crocodile &
10-05 Portland, OR The Wonder Ballroom &
10-07 San Francisco, CA Slim’s
10-08 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
10-09 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar
10-11 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
10-13 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck +
10-14 Oklahoma City, OK University of Oklahoma +
10-15 Memphis, TN Hi Tone Café +
10-16 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge +
10-18 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
^ with Craft Spells
@ with the Kills
& w/ Big Troubles
+ w/ Twin Sister