Portland’s Blue Skies for Black Hearts stopped off at the Melody Inn Sunday night in support of newest album, Embracing the Modern Age. BSFBH, similar to Army Navy who appeared at the Vollrath a few weeks back, practice a form of pure pop that in a just world would get radio play. As it stands, they’re happy to play for all the die-hards who search out every record by bands like them, the Well Wishers, Derby, and so on.

For 45 minutes, the intimate crowd basked in the glow of gorgeous melodies, bouncy hooks, and fine musicianship. From opener Siouxsie Please Come Home off Serenades and Hand Grenades through killer new songs like Caroline Make Up Your Mind and The Sitch from Embracing the Modern Age, the band was in top form. What was especially refreshing was watching a band that simply loves to set up and play their songs. Case in point: Check out the video below of the band performing an acoustic version of Last Night’s Fool to everyone at the bar.

I can’t stress enough how uplifting it was to watch a band play that takes, and delivers, so much joy with their music. Too many bands feel the need to uncoil all their issues on stage to the degree that they’re insularity alienates the people who came to watch them play. BSFBH offer the exact opposite. I hope more people start taking advantage of what the band supplies.