Pitchfork

In an apparent homage to Raphael, funky-fresh Tom Vek, soon-to-be-ex-Test Icicle Devonte Hynes, and two gents from UK buzz act Semifinalists have joined forces and christened themselves Naked Babes. Clearly, this is in no way a reference to nudie mags. Clearly.

The foursome hopped on the MySpace band-wagon (get it?) just last week and already have one gig scheduled, tomorrow night at Madame Jojo's in London. A representative at TI's label Domino Records warns us that these blokes get together and form bands for kicks like most college-aged kids drink beer on the weekends. So, you know, grain of salt. Then again, that's how Test Icicles got together too...

So what do Naked Babes sound like? They sound like, wait for it..."TITS MELTING." So says that MySpace, and ain't nothing on MySpace ever been wrong or sarcastic or facetious, oh no.

As previously reported, Test Icicles will soon part ways, but not before gigging out one last time in their native UK and hitting folks on both sides of the Atlantic with a truckload of swansong releases. First up, Domino UK dishes out the Dig Your Own Grave EP on April 24 in two compelling formats: CD/DVD and double 7". Chock full of tasty remixes by the band and others, as well as new treats, heeeeeere's Johnny:

CD:

01 Pull the Lever (Raaary's Ripmix)
02 Your Biggest Mistake (Unreleased Single Edit)
03 All You Need Is Blood (Dev's Mix)
04 Stuck in the Bend (of a Learning Curve)
05 The Plague and the Pestilence
06 Circle. Square. Triangle (Chrome Hoof Remix)
07 Pull the Lever (Jitset Remix)
08 What's Michelle Like? [hidden track]
09 Who Ate All the Offal? [hidden track]

DVD:

01 Circle. Square. Triangle (video)
02 What's Your Damage? (video)
03 Circle. Square. Triangle *
04 What's Your Damage? *
05 Dancing on Pegs *
06 Boa Vs. Python *
07 Catch It *

* Live at London School of Economics, November 2005

Double 7":

A1: Pull the Lever
B1: All You Need Is Blood

A1: Stuck in the Bend (of a Learning Curve)
B1: The Plague and the Pestilence

Before you fire up that pounds-to-dollars conversion website, know that Domino U.S. will release a different version of the Dig Your Own Grave EP on May 9. This one features seven groovy remixes, including one by Pitchfork/Windish Agency SXSW day-party-mongers Spank Rock. Snap it up:

01 Circle. Square. Triangle (James Ford Remix)
02 What's Your Damage? (Braxe/Falke Remix)
03 Catch It! (Jitset's Grime Mix featuring Statik/Ruffsqwad)
04 Circle. Square. Triangle (Spank Rock Remix)
05 Boa Vs. Python (Statik Grime Remix)
06 What's Your Damage? (Digitalism Remix)
07 Circle. Square. Triangle (Chrome Hoof Remix)

And finally, those mangy Test Icicles will take their final bows at five valedictory UK shows. Spazz out a while and thank them for the memories:

04-18 Glasgow, Scotland - Garage
04-19 Sunderland, England - Manor Quay
04-20 Manchester, England - Academy 2
04-21 Coventry, England - Coliseum
04-22 London, England - Astoria

PS: Word on the Domino streets is fellow soon-to-be-ex-Test Icicle Rory Atwell is presently starting up a band with his dad in Ireland. Hey, if Mystery Jets did it, it must be cool. Or something.