Pitchfork

Baroque indie poppers PAS/CAL are ringing in the holidays with Season's Greetings, the first release on their new label, Romantic Air Recording Company. The limited-edition 12-inch split single features a charming PAS/CAL cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" backed with Asobi Seksu's dream-pop rendition of "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" by fellow New Yorkers The Ramones. The record's initial pressing will come on transparent crimson vinyl.

In early 2005, PAS/CAL will finally release their long-awaited debut album on Le Grand Magistery. The still-untitled LP will be self-produced, and follows a pair of criminally overlooked EPs, 2003's The Handbag Memoirs and this year's Oh Honey, We're Ridiculous. "There will be a lot of experimentation and expansion," claims PAS/CAL's Bernard Levine. "We're taking some risks and crossing our fingers that they'll pay off. Some songs are a bit darker, some a bit more raucous. Anyone expecting a repeat of the first two EPs may be surprised, though not disappointed. At our core remains a devotion to carefully crafted and crafty pop songs."

The LP may reprise Oh Honey standouts "What Happened to the Sands" and "Poor Maude", but other than that will contain new material, which according to the band's official website includes "a paean to trains titled 'Dearest Bernard Levine', a mournful lament for the loss of innocence titled 'The Truth Behind All The Vogues She Sold', and a raucous rocking number going by the name of 'O Honey, We're Ridiculous'". The latter continues the band's tradition of recycling the title of a previous record as a song title on the group's subsequent release.

Finally, for the many of those who missed PAS/CAL's EPs the first time around, Le Grand Magistery will combine them into one release, and will "likely" add bonus songs or demos, according to the band. No release date is set for that compilation.