August 31, 2008

Today's Hotness: Ringo Deathstarr, Superman Revenge Squad, Psapp

Ringo Deathstarr
>> Two of our favorite acts, Ringo Deathstarr and Superman Revenge Squad, have recently posted new material for streaming at their respective MySpace drive-thrus. Austin-based shoegaze celebrants Ringo Deathstarr, which commenced a rare but short strand of tour dates last night, has just uploaded two tunes, including the JAMC-ariffic "In Love" and the pop-ambient dreamer "Summer Time." The latter track is almost a shoegaze revision to the standard "Girl From Ipanema," while the former track is in the mold of Jesus And Mary Chain's controversial single "Reverence." If we recall correctly, the two tracks are intended for a forthcoming single or EP. The Deathstarr's planned live dates include three very rare East Coast engagements in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and New York. Frankly, we're astonished that no one booked the quartet in Philadelphia or Boston while it is out this way. But the world is a crazy, mixed-up place, innit? View the planned live dates here.

Superman Revenge Squad, for its part, has also added two new tracks to its MySpace dojo. One is the folksy strummer "Pupkin," and the other is the likely quasi-title track (that is, the title is in the lyrics, but is not the song title) to a forthcoming full-length from Ben Parker's solo entity. This second track, "I'm Gonna Go To Bed And When I Wake Up I Gonna Be Someone Else," opens with a characteristic spoken proclamation and segues into the manner of desperate strummery to which we've grown accustomed by following Mr. Parker's music for a little over a year. The tune also delivers one of Parker's typically self-eviscerating closing lines: ..."and looking back you weren't as useless in the sack as you gave yourself credit for." As usual, talking about Superman Revenge Squad has led us down the black hole of listening to Nosferatu D2's "A Footnote" on repeat. Nosferatu D2 was one of Mr. Parker's former bands, and as "A Footnote" is likely one of the best songs written in this decade, we're posting it below for what feels like the hundredth time.

Nosferatu D2 -- "A Footnote" -- Nosferatu D2
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>> In early July we told you that Psapp would release its third record The Camel's Back later this year. Well, things have changed somewhat. While the U.K. release date Oct. 27 remains, the early November North American release has been pushed back to Jan. 20 according to an email from the quirky, London-based electropop duo. Another new bit of information: the first single from the record is "The Monster Song," which Psapp alleges is "a hugely catchy pop number, life affirming and vast." The single will be promoted with an animated video slated for release "soon." You can pre-order the U.K. version of The Camel's Back from Domino right here. There are several Psapp tracks we can't get enough of, and one of these is "Curuncula" from the act's 2004 set Tiger, My Friend. Below we're posting a recording of Psapp performing the number on radio broadcaster KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic program in 2006.

Psapp -- "Curuncula (Live)" -- Morning Becomes Eclectic, 14 June 2006
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[by Psapp records from Newbury Comics right here]

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