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Paste Magazine

Not every song is perfect, but perfection is boring. What we need in these weary times--and what Passion Pit brings--is exuberance. Manners delivers the elusive feeling that everything will be alright. Or, just maybe, that everything already is.

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The Phoenix

After years of Boston's repping itself on the national stage with scally caps and mime make-up, the promising prospect of a blog-stoking, pant-tightening, fresh-making outfit like the Pit feels long overdue. The good news is, it sounds only slightly so.

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Filter

I can already sense the love-it-or-leave-it polarization for listeners over Michael Angelakos's dizzying falsetto range, but one thing's for sure--it's a match for the far-out music he's making. [Spring 2009, p.97]

Pitchfork

Manners is deceptively consistent even beyond its singles--if you like one Passion Pit song, you'll probably like them all.

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Observer Music Monthly

Euphoric, feelgood electro-pop of the indie rather than chart-topping persuasion, with the Massachusetts quartet's debut substituting lost-boy yearning for outright hedonism.

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All Music Guide

Thanks to the meticulous production values, the insane catchiness of the hooks, and the pure and true emotional underpinnings below all the gloss, the album is a total success of both sound and vision.

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Boston Globe

Refreshed and uplifted. Those are two things that the best pop records leave you feeling, and that's definitely the end result of listening to Manners, the debut album from Passion Pit.

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Rolling Stone

Passion Pit's full-length debut proves he isn't fronting: It's a shiny bouquet of synth-pop roses, with perfumed Eighties keyboard whooshes and modern stutter beats crooking a finger toward the dance floor.

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Slant Magazine

just so happens that Passion Pit has released a gorgeous pop album in time for the warm weather, and while Manners would make a perfect soundtrack to any summer, you'll want to keep the best cuts around for far longer.

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musicOMH.com

Refreshingly free of pretensions and convolutions it's full of well-written songs with melody and fun at its big heart.

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The Guardian

Perhaps not as striking as it might have seemed 18 months ago, but still a debut album of distinction.

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NOW Magazine

For all its glossy, soul-searching schmaltz, the band’s full-length debut is a polished record full of consistently catchy hooks.

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Prefix Magazine

All I know for sure is that I’ve got two ears and a heart, and Manners sounds and feels pretty great.

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Billboard

Manners, the debut album from the Boston-based electro-pop outfit Passion Pit, is a charming combination of danceable synth grooves, falsetto shouts and infectious vocal hooks.

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Under The Radar

Passion Pit's inclusive sound isn't afraid to take chances, and like that proverbial teenager, they aren't afraid of being caught by their mom home sicks with the flu. [Summer 2009, p.68]

PopMatters

It makes you want to dance, and it gets it hooks deep into, so much so that you might be humming the melodies to these songs mindlessly, before you even realize they’re Passion Pit.

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Entertainment Weekly

While the midtempo tunes often venture into cheesy '80s-pop territory, the album's dense sound rewards repeat listens.

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Dot Music

there are many who will find this record torrentially annoying....But to many others, Manners will be a welcome zephyr of optimism ushering away the angst of epidemics and impending environmental oblivion.

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New Musical Express

There are times when the album feels strangely medicated; the positivity, when heaped upon the listener in brutal doses, makes you feel trapped in one of those American self-help groups.

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Drowned In Sound

Despite an opening volley that suggests Ghandi himself would have felt the urge to tell Passion Pit to stop being so bloody silly come the end, it finds a slightly more meaningful note surprisingly soon.

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Spin

Poptimist Michael Angelakos tried to hold onto his girlfriend with Passion Pit's first EP. That didn't work (blame the self-obsessed lyrics), but on his band's debut full-length, their squeaky indie-pop theatrics are more convincing.

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Uncut

Manners is impressively slick and sparky but probably just a little too toothpaste fresh. [Jun 2009, p.93]

Mojo

Gone is the Fisher Price-redolent instrumentation and found--sounds, in their place something more measured and radio friendly. [Jun 2009, p.98]

Q Magazine

At times--'Little Secrets,' despite its kiddie choir, 'The Reeling' and 'Moth's Wings'--it's a little too cloneishly Jake Shears for comfort. At other, though, they soar with MGMT-esque widescreen vitality. [Jun 2009, p.130]

Tiny Mix Tapes

On the whole, Manners mostly evens out into a consistently listenable experience, the joy of one absurdly successful track spread out in variations and reformulations across the entirety of an album with inevitable dilution in the process.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Manners attempts to synthesize Michael Angelakos’ natural talent for dance music with more straightforward, heart-on-sleeve rock, but can’t quite commit to either.

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cokemachineglow

I could go song by song and come to the same conclusion with pretty much each one: the dedication to this carefree whimsy of youth ultimately stands as the most impressive thing about Passion Pit, and it wears thin quickly.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 31 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
An amazing album. I'm surprised by the hate or dislike of some people. It's interesting the types of bands that people will flock to but the great ones will get shunned or be just shy of being called brilliant. Either way, an amazing album.

Matt D. gave it a9:
After a few plays this CD becomes a favorite, listening through all the tracks. Although some of the songs on the album do get repetitive sounding, each song is very good.

Carl F. gave it a10:
This album was absolutely astounding...it provided a good rotation of songs in a feel good style, yet they can pull of something darker like The Reeling and it still sounds great. Pure genius.

Wai-Hoi T gave it a10:
Simply stunning! The Reeling has been constantly playing in my mp3 for the past summer.

Bernard L. gave it an8:
After a couple of plays this album just becomes irresistible with its subtle and hypnotic electro-pop touch. Highly recommended.

alan a gave it a10:
I think this is brilliant. Have listened over and over and still can't get enough. You uncover something new with every spin. Love the progression of tunes throughout. This is melody after melody of pure exuberance but once you delve into Angelakos' lyrics (poetry) you discover a brilliant, creative mind. Not just a run of the mill album with a bunch of fillers. Every tune rates! Great writing!

Jimmy gave it a4:
Despite a couple of decent tracks, I found this overall to be quite a frustrating, grating listen.

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