Ringo Deathstarr - Pure Mood

I first saw the then unknown Ringo Deathstarr at the Reverence Festival at London's I.C.A in 2010. They completely controlled that stage, and on this, their fifth album, they carry on doing stunning work. The Deathstarrs are Alex Gehring, Daniel Coborn, and Elliot Frazer who formed their group in Beaumont, but soon moved to Austin, Texas, home of the 13th Floor Elevators, which they reminded me of originally. It opens up with ‘Dream Again’ which starts off sounding totally heavenly with minimal instruments, before the walls collapse around it with the crashing guitars of a heavy metal Suicide. It sounds like a monster ripping off your head for breakfast and not feeling guilty about it either. It has a perfect My Bloody Valentine groove to it with enough of a grunge flow to please even metal heads everywhere. ‘Stare at the Sun’ has more of a dance edge to it. Think ‘Sidewalkin' by the Jesus and Mary Chain, slowed right on down and backed by a baggy beat. ‘Show Me the Truth of Your Love’ is a blissful, light and fluffy dream pop number. ‘Big Bopper’ has a trippy psychedelic edge to it, and is like an eccentric Beatles circa 65-67 but with more effect peddles. ‘Guilt’ has the swaggering flavour of My Bloody Valentine’s album ’Loveless’. ‘California Car Collection’ oozes shoegaze out of every pore, while ‘Frisbee ‘glows through the night with full-on headlights and is hypnotic with enough of the sound of Dinosaur,Jr. to head bang to. ‘Boys in Heat’ is a slower burner but with heavy reverb, while the effects remind me of Yoko Ono in all her oddness. ‘Never Kick Down the Walls’ is like the Raveonettes on speed, while ‘Old Again’ is like a restrained, romantic John Lennon number played by Slowdive. ‘Acid Tongue’ ends the work, returning them to their My Bloody Valentine roots. It is raw and savage and a song to get ready for a night out too. A fabulous release.

Track Listing:-

1 Dream Again
2 Heavy Metal Suicide
3 Stare at the Sun
4 Show Me the Truth of Your Love
5 Big Bopper
6 Guilt
7 California Car Collection
8 Frisbee
9 Boys in Heat
10 Never
11 Old Again
12 Acid Tongue

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/ringodeathsta
http://www.ringodeathstarr.org/
https://twitter.com/RingoDeathstarr
http://ringodeathstarr.bandcamp.com/

Label Links:-

http://store.clubac30.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clubac30
https://twitter.com/clubac30

Interviews

Interview (2016)

Anthony Strutt speaks to Austin, Texas-based shoegaze trio Ringo Deathstarr at a gig in Leicester about their recent third album,'Pure Mood', and their influences