Pitchfork

Austin, Texas' Ringo Deathstarr have a few things working against them. First, there's that almost too kitschy name. Then there's the fact that they meant to start a Jesus and Mary Chain fanclub, but started a band instead. But the winking self-awareness and punk throttle showcased on "Some Kind of Sad" bring toughness to their geeked-out moniker and put their Reid brothers fandom to good use. Their pulsing layers of feedback and those droll, deadpan vocals are ripped straight from Psychocandy, but the galloping, amphetamine rhythms are harder charging than even the most amped up track on that album. After all, "Some Kind of Sad" flies by in barely two minutes, and the only reason the song is that long is because it features a 20-second outro of humming reverb.

Other bands that drink from the same inspirational well mimic the guitar squall or the Ronettes worship, often forgetting just how dangerous or aggressive those early Jesus and Mary Chain songs were. But Ringo Deathstarr builds "Some Kind Of Sad" on a snarling foundation that recalls their influences in attitude as well as execution. This band isn't just the sum of their pedal effects and their record collection, though. With a name like theirs, they were bound to also have a wry sense of humor. So, as if to blunt the criticism that they are too imitative of their heroes, there is actually a moment where they quote them directly, singing, "You taste like honeydew/ Just like honey, too." At least I think that's what they are saying; with vocals buried under a wall of echo, it's hard to know for sure.

MP3: > Ringo Deathstarr: "Some Kind of Sad"
[From a forthcoming album on Spoilt Victorian Child]