SSM IS JOHN SZYMANSKI, DAVE SHETTLER AND MARTY MORRIS

"This is Garage Rock 2.0." – Blogcritics.org

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Alive Records has announced the upcoming new album release from Detroit post-punk trio SSM on January 29, 2008. Break Your Arm for Evolution is the follow-up to their acclaimed 2006 self-titled debut and finds John Szymanski (vox, keyboards), Dave Shettler (drums, programming), and Marty Morris (vox, guitar) further expanding their sonic horizons and fearlessly morphing genres. Engineered by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), and recorded in record time straight to seven-track tape, the Detroit trio once again defy conventional wisdom and blaze its own trail.

SSM wrote this album on the heels of the last one, adding the songs to their live sets one by one. True to the spirit of the band's equal-billing name, SSM is a collaboration. John Szymanski is, for those of you keeping score, the first S in SSM; he plays a few vintage keyboards and sings (you might also know him as Johnny Hentch of the infamous Hentchmen). He's joined by that other S, Dave Shettler, who drums (and has done so for the likes of The Sights and Nathaniel Mayer, among others), and M, a certain Marty Morris, who plays guitar and sings (and also helms The Cyril Lords).

"I say psychedelic punk. Trashy, dancey, good time music," John Szymanski explains of how he describes his band. "Break Your Arm for Evolution is the sound of cool, young robots. The preferred listening of the jetpack set."

SSM likes to flirt and Break Your Arm for Evolution is not merely a title but an earnest philosophy: the endlessly catchy Daft Punk-meets-The Seeds of "Déjà Vu," the psychedelic kraut rock'n'roll of "Regenerate Your Face" transforms itself into the synth pop of "Let's Make a Baby", which metamorphoses into the indie alternative dance "Start Dancing" and quickly burst into the punk rock "Emotional Tourist", all the while challenging the traditional conventions of pop songwriting. The result leaves one with little time to catch their breath but ultimately flirts with genius.

It's the trio's second official full-length album, and third official release, following up their self-titled debut LP (Alive Records, 2006) and six-song EP-1 (Alive Records, 2006). Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys) recorded Break Your Arm for Evolution in the spring of 2007 in Akron, Ohio at Akron Analog. Produced by SSM the album was mixed in Detroit with C. Laszlo Koltay at High Bias Recordings.

On the web: www.myspace.com/SzymanskiShettlerMorris
Free "Déjà Vu" MP3: www.alivenergy.com/ssm_deja_vu.mp3
Video for "Déjà Vu": www.alive-totalenergy.com/SSM.html