Former Ghosts' music haunts me. And yes, I know this is a cutesy thing to say because of their name and all, but it's also true. This is a band that gets under your skin and does something strange down there before rising again to the surface. It's no surprise that Jamie Stewart from Xiu Xiu is in this band, because Xiu Xiu always liked to plunge into my pores too.

Freddy Ruppert is the primary singer/songwriter/synth maker in Former Ghosts. Stewart helps out on the synths and vocals too, but it's Ruppert's show. And man, this music he makes certainly sticks with you... more like clings to you... more like leeches onto you. I don't even know what to call this; dark goth industrial pop of some kind? Whatever it is, the music doesn't make me feel happy. Then again, it doesn't make me feel sad either. It just makes me feel... off.

Sure, the melodies are pretty and everything (this IS a synth band, after all) but prettiness doesn't always lead to godliness. And boy, I don't even know what that means! You see? You see what Former Ghosts does to me? I'm all mixed up. As of this writing, the band is on tour with Cold Cave. And if Cold Cave isn't the perfect touring partner for Former Ghosts, I don't know who is (except maybe some Trent Reznor side project should he ever decide to go in a more peaceful direction).

I like this. I think. But it makes me anxious.

Former Ghosts play The Smell, on Friday, April 9th, and Synchronicity Space, on Friday, April 16th.