The two faces of Passion Pit

Passion Pit say the quality of their show has improved since their visit here in 2010.

Their music's catchy, their lyrics intensely personal. Scott Kara caught up with Passion Pit before tonight's Auckland show.

You may not realise it initially, but Passion Pit's songs can be harrowing and sad. They are deeply personal outpourings of songwriter Michael Angelakos' life.

But because the songs are wrapped in a psychedelic, catchy electro-pop sheen, rather than making you sad, they make you happy - and, more than likely, make you want to dance.

"That's our favourite element of the music, the way it disguises its face," says laid-back bass player Jeff Apruzzese. "The topics of the record are so heavy that if they were put so bluntly, and so literally, then maybe the mainstream attraction wouldn't be there so much. But it's hidden behind all these poppy musical elements that have you singing along, and once you're singing along, maybe you realise what you're actually singing out loud."

Apruzzese says he likes to think of the songs as an insight into their friend and band leader, Angelakos, who has been diagnosed as bipolar.

"It's an insight because some people aren't the best at describing their feelings. And it's a true stereotype that most musicians are extremely emotional but also usually very introverted, so it's almost a way of us learning more about each other and learning more about Michael through his songwriting," he says on the line from New York ahead of their show at The Powerstation in Auckland tonight.

The Massachusetts quintet - also made up of Ian Hultquist (keyboards, guitar) and Nate Donmoyer (drums) - were last here in 2010, firstly playing a rampant Big Day Out set, then whipping up a hot, sweaty frenzy later in the year at a sold-out Powerstation show.

"Oh yeah, we loved it," he says.

Tonight they will no doubt play older hits such as Little Secrets, the twisted Sleepyhead, and conjure the swirling highs of The Reeling off 2009 debut Manners, plus songs off last year's follow-up, Gossamer.

Apruzzese says in the time between Manners and Gossamer they made big leaps in maturity, and Angelakos has refined his songwriting and honed his production techniques.

"With that comes a step up in the musicianship. So our touring outfit now, and how we're playing and being perceived, is completely different than how we were touring with Manners.

"Manners, it's fair to say, was the fresh party record, where we were so green and so excited to be out there and we wanted to party all the time. Accordingly, I think the shows reflected that, because we were going crazy. But now I think we've dialled it in and owe more to the people."

Not that they won't be going wild, but Apruzzese says they sound bigger and better and the quality of the show has improved.

Although they've been together for almost six years, it was only after playing a show at New York's 14,000 capacity Madison Square Gardens earlier this year that they realised the impact they had had on people and on the music scene in general.

"It was a realisation how the band had grown outside of us and how all these other people were digging the music.

"Funny how we can maintain a career for five years and finally only realise it when we played that show," he says with a chuckle.

Who: Passion Pit
Where and when: The Powerstation, tonight.
Albums: Manners (2009); Gossamer (2012)

* Check nzherald.co.nz tomorrow for a full review of tonight's show.

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- TimeOut