October 2007: Crane fall down, go boom Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Ringo Deathstarr

Any old band whose singer ends a set by dry-humping his guitar so it emits an ear-splitting squeal of feedback can catch your eye, but Ringo Deathstarr’s also really loud. The tinnitus-inducing combination of volume and reverb isn’t anything new, but the quartet, led by singer/guitarist Elliott Frazier, takes its forefathers’ advice and turns up the tremolo anyway. Their recent self-titled EP, awash in reverb with very pointed guitars underneath the squall, makes you long for the days of 120 Minutes, as Frazier’s often Jim Reid’s sonic twin. It would be easy to cook up a new genre for a post-shoegaze (nu-gaze?) band like RD, but, as Frazier demonstrated, lust-core is really more appropriate. – Audra Schroeder


This article appears in November 9 • 2007.

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Thomas Fawcett has been freelancing for The Austin Chronicle since 2007. He likes good music and does not fake the funk.

Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.