Kindred

Passion Pit are excellent at sounding like Passion Pit — they've mastered the art of pairing emotionally naked lyrics with sweet, lush synth beats. On their third LP, though, that strength becomes a fault, as the band's tender vibes begin to blur into sameness. Singer Michael Angelakos' writing remains sharp, telling stories about family drama that are complex yet conversational. And the band takes a few steps beyond its formula, daring to dabble in funk-flavored beats on standouts "Where the Sky Hangs" and "My Brother Taught Me How to Swim." But much of the rest of Kindred is so relentlessly up, it starts to feel suffocating.