Pop, Songs & Death are a series of EPs

EPS

-Computers and technology:* External Power Supply, an external AC adapter * common External Power Supply, EU standard for mobile phone chargers...

 released by American alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band Wheatus

Wheatus

Wheatus are an American rock group from Northport, New York. They are known for their 2000 single "Teenage Dirtbag" which was featured in the movie Loser, as well as in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill.-1995-2002: Formation and Wheatus:...

. The first EP, entitled The Lightning EP, was released in June 2009. A second EP, entitled The Jupiter EP, was released in December 2010.

Background

Following the release of Too Soon Monsoon, the band completed a series of extensive tours, which lasted until the summer of 2008. During this time, Brendan began writing more material, and in Autumn 2008, the band returned to the recording studio. The material was recorded in DSD

Direct Stream Digital

Direct-Stream Digital is the trademark name used by Sony and Philips for their system of recreating audible signals which uses pulse-density modulation encoding, a technology to store audio signals on digital storage media which is used for the Super Audio CD .The signal is stored as delta-sigma...

, and thus can be downloaded in this audiophile format for playback on PlayStation3 and modern SACD

Super Audio CD

Super Audio CD is a high-resolution, read-only optical disc for audio storage. Sony and Philips Electronics jointly developed the technology, and publicized it in 1999. It is designated as the Scarlet Book standard. Sony and Philips previously collaborated to define the Compact Disc standard...

 players. The band decided against another full-length release, and instead chose to issue the songs they had recorded as a series of EPs, entitled the Pop, Songs and Death series. first EP, entitled The Lightning EP, was announced for released in May 2009, and was expected for release on June 1. However, due to numerous technical difficulties including a server crash and difficulty in processing different file types, the album was released until 1:30AM on June 2. The EP was made available using a donation-based system. If the customer donated $5 or less, they would simply receive the six songs contained on the EP. However, if they donated more than $5, they would receive two bonus tracks plus PDF files containing comic strip adaptations of the songs "Real Girl" and "From Listening To Lightning". In December 2009, a physical release of The Lightning EP was made available. The physical release was limited to 500 copies, and contained the deluxe eight-track EP, plus two further bonus tracks not available anywhere else; a DVD containing an exclusive making-of documentary, four-song live set and three music videos; physical copies of the comic strip adaptations of "Real Girl" and "From Listening to Lightning"; plus a hand-signed poster and an individually numbered presentation box.

After touring to promote the EP, the band returned to the studio to record further demos and improve tracks they had previously recorded. In March 2010, Brendan announced via his Twitter

Twitter

Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...

 page that a second EP, entitled The Jupiter EP, would be released in May, using the same format of release as the first EP. However, due to the death of one of the tour personnel, and a series of further tour dates being scheduled, the EP was indefinitely delayed. Brendan kept fans informed of the EP's progress, until the EP was finally released for download on December 23, 2010. In a similar format, if the customer donated $5 or less, they would simply receive the six songs contained on the EP. However, if they donated more than $5, they would receive two bonus tracks, plus a PDF file containing the comic strip adaptation of "Bridges To Jupiter". In July 2011, a physical release of The Jupiter EP was made available. The physical release was limited to 500 copies, and contained the deluxe eight-track EP, two further bonus tracks not available anywhere else; a DVD containing an exclusive making-of documentary, music videos to accompany each of the six tracks on the EP, a four-song live set and further bonus content; a physical copy of the comic strip adaptation of "Bridges To Jupiter"; plus a hand-signed poster and an individually numbered presentation box.

In October 2011, the band announced that they would be touring the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

for the first time in six years, and thus, a release of both EPs in the UK would accompany the tour. This time, however, the EPs would be packaged together as one album, simply entitled Pop, Songs & Death. The standard edition of the album includes two discs, each containing one respective six-track EP. The deluxe edition of the album includes four discs, containing both deluxe ten-track EPs, both limited edition bonus DVDs, all three physical comic adaptations, plus both hand-signed posters and exclusive content for the UK. A further edition of the album, printed on two 180g vinyl records, will be available. This edition will contain the tweleve tracks from the standard versions of each EP, plus individually numbered deluxe gatefold packaging. The release date for these editions has yet to be determined.

Track listing

The Lightning EP

1. "From Listening To Lightning" - 11:22
2. "You And Your Stoopid Guitar" - 3:53
3. "Real Girl" - 5:17
4. "Now" - 3:51
5. "If You Need A Friend" - 6:52
6. "Texas" - 7:44

• Deluxe Download Bonus Tracks

1. "Lemonade" (Live In Rehearsal) - 5:43
2. "Hometown" (Live In Rehearsal) - 6:49

• Physical Edition Bonus Tracks

1. "Lemonade" (Live In Rehearsal) - 5:43
2. "Hometown" (Live In Rehearsal) - 6:49
3. "Real Girl" (Acoustic Version) - 5:28
4. "From Listening To Lightning" (Acoustic) - 11:45

• Physical Edition Bonus DVD

1. "The Making of The Lightning EP"
2. "Now" (Live Performance)
3. "From Listening To Lightning" (Live Performance)
4. "Texas" (Live Performance)
5. "If You Need A Friend" (Live Performance)
6. "Real Girl" (Music Video)
7. "From Listening To Lightning" (Music Video)
8. "Texas" (Music Video)

The Jupiter EP

1. "A Fisherman With A Clock" - 7:57
2. "The Story Of The Eggs" - 8:25
3. "Freedom Song" - 6:27
4. "So Old 'n' Told" - 7:00
5. "Dream About The Devil" - 6:48
6. "Bridges To Jupiter" - 8:53

• Deluxe Download Bonus Tracks

1. "Pretty Girl" (Acoustic Version) - 4:42
2. "Freak On" (Acoustic Version) - 4:43

• Physical Edition Bonus Tracks

1. "Pretty Girl" (Acoustic Version) - 4:42
2. "Freak On" (Acoustic Version) - 4:43
3. "Dynomite Satchel Of Pain" (Live In Rehearsal) - 7:57
4. "American In Amsterdam" (Live In Rehearsal) - 5:43

• Physical Edition Bonus DVD

1. "The Making of The Jupiter EP"
2. "A Fisherman With A Clock" (Music Video)
3. "The Story Of The Eggs" (Music Video)
4. "Freedom Song" (Music Video)
5. "So Old 'n' Told" (Music Video)
6. "Dream About The Devil" (Music Video)
7. "Bridges To Jupiter" (Music Video)
8. "Lemonade" (Live Performance)
9. "Hometown" (Live Performance)
10. "Dynomite Satchel Of Pain" (Live Performance)
11. "American In Amsterdam" (Live Performance)
12. "Hidden Content"