In 2012, Philadelphia four-piece Literature quietly released their debut LP Arab Spring. The album began circuiting around the indiepop community and quickly gained much-deserved recognition. I think I heard about the album later in the year from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s Kip Berman, who acted as Literature’s unofficial hype-man, praising the band on every social media outlet possible.
As an 18 year old living in the suburbs of Florida where NO ONE liked indiepop or had ever heard of Slumberland Records, Literature felt like my own special band. I remember road-tripping to Tallahassee with my then-boyfriend and forcing him listen to Arab Spring on repeat, which he unfortunately hated. Needless to say, I have a lot of love for Literature and their power pop. So when Sam of Gold-Bears introduced me to Literature’s guitar player Kevin at NYC Popfest and Kevin told me that not only is Literature coming out with a new album, but that the album might come out on Slumberland, I could barely contain my excitement.
The first single from this album, titled Chorus, dropped yesterday to my extreme excitement. “The English Softhearts” finds Literature dialing down the noise and break-neck speed of Arab Spring for a sound that resembles, well, a nostalgic British indiepop band. Additionally, the lyrics reflect the blend of modest self-deprecation and wistful romance common to Slumberland acts: “You say you’ve got a lot to lose / And not too much to win / I think you know it’s true / I’d give it all up for you.”
Pre-order Chorus over at Slumberland
Stream “The English Softhearts” below.
