Ambulance LTD: What's been going on?

One of my favorite E-music discoveries has been Ambulance LTD, a NYC band that gets a lot of shoegazer comparisons but which is really just a solid indie rock band capable of consistently good great songwriting. Their obviously-titled LP and New English EP are must downloads.

Well, I've been wondering what's up with them, and it turns out that everyone in the band BUT the singer, Marcus Congleton, quit the band and formed a new group called The Red Romance. As the RR's Myspace page reveals, they're currently unsigned and touring with The Killers. Sadly, the Red Romance sounds just like a band that would want to tour with the Killers. They've retained much of the Ambulance sound, but whoever's taken over singing and songwriting lacks Congleton's compelling vocals and his absolutely sick ear for hooks. The Red Romance are an ordinary band trying desperately to get famous. I don't think they'll get there.

As for Congleton, he's keeping the Ambulance name and working with producer John Cale on the next LTD record. And yes, that's John Cale from the The Velvet Underground. NME has an article here on the unlikely partnership:

The Velvet Underground man has been recording in Los Angeles with vocalist Marcus Congleton since September, thus far producing 18 tracks and providing keyboards for the band's second album.

"There were so many records he produced I really liked. Nico, The Stooges, but it was a long shot." explained Congleton, noting Cale had produced few outside artists in recent years.

However he agreed to work with Ambulance Ltd based on the strength of the singer's demos, which Congleton admitted "was huge and really flattering".

That should about catch you up with what's going on. Oh, here's a couple of videos of their singles from the LP, in case you have no idea who I'm talking about.