Out today on Upset The Rhythm: Second album New Love from L.A. band Former Ghosts, which is Freddy Ruppert (This Song Is A Mess But So Am I) with friends Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu), Yasmine Kittles (Tearist) and Nika Roza Danilova (Zola Jesus). Last album Fleurs was unflinchingly intimate–a break-up album in painfully slow motion. Said Daiana Feuer when she saw Former Ghosts live:

I couldn't wait to see Freddy Ruppert cry. […] Ruppert tears up during performances because all the songs on debut album Fleurs were written for a girl while she took time breaking his heart. The synths twist around electronic drums wearing an '80s goth-pop veil. Ruppert places a hand over his chest, closes his eyes, skips around in circles, his voice shakes, filling the veins in his forehead with blood. Wanting to be up close and share Ruppert's genuinely emotional performance, I was almost punched in the face a few times by his swinging arm. When it was over, he spent some moments catching his breath and walking it off. You don't often come across something this sincere.

Listen to the album here and watch a video from New Love after the jump. If you're expecting Ian Curtis–as reviewers so far seem to be–you may want to think a bit of Andy Kaufman, too.

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