Various Artists
Joie De Vivre/Prawn - Split EP
Topshelf (2014)
The recent collaboration between emo acts Prawn (NY/NJ-based) and Joie De Vivre (Illinois-based) is a rad split album packed with guitar twinkles and gloomy vocals.Joie De Vivre starts off the split. Compared to past albums like We’re All Better Than This and The North End, JDV’s three songs on the collaboration are heavier and, production-wise, more lavish. Their stand out … Read more
Various Artists
Junius-Rosetta
Translation Loss (2011)
Junius and Rosetta are two odd bands to select for a split. It's hard to imagine the sonic distortion of the band behind The Galilean Satellites matching up with a band as mellow (in comparison, anyway) as Junius.Their contribution, “A Dark Day With Night,” sounds eerily ethereal; the sweet nature of the writing feels almost at odds with the sorrowful … Read more
Various Artists
Let Me Out & First Cut - Swedish Hardcore Split
Akashic (2009)
Ah, split CDs of two bands I've never heard of before. The bane of my existence. Anyway, Sweden's Let Me Out play tuneful melodic hardcore in the vein of early H20. There's plenty of catchy riffs and some decent mosh parts. I've heard a million bands like Let Me Out and I always find them enjoyable as the next guy. … Read more
Various Artists
Mass vs. Cali
Heart In Hand (2008)
This 7" compilation partners two Massachusetts bands on one side and two California bands on the other side. Each band contributes one track each; with each band honing in on their own take of hardcore. The Effort leads off the Massachusetts side with "Steps Ahead." Musically they seem to fall between Modern Life is War and Shai Hulud. It's fast … Read more
Various Artists
Parasitic Skies/Losing Skin - Split
Headfirst records (2012)
Splits are a dilemma at times, as they inevitably will either inform you of a new band or have a couple of songs that are clearly overshadowed by their counterpart. I am happy to report that is not the case for this split. With two of the Northwest hardcore scenes' heaviest, this record is a rager from start to finish. … Read more
Various Artists
Radon/Worthwhile Way - split 7"
No Idea/Eager Beaver (2015)
Radon has never really done a lot for me. The melodies are nice but it really never strikes a chord one way or the other. In “Headaches and Bullshit,” it’s 2:29 of their traditional sound, melodic and emotional, delivered via Dave Rohm’s Greg Attonito-styled (Bouncing Souls) vocals over melodic hardcore with an emphasis on the melodic. It does feature a … Read more
Various Artists
Rakta & Deafkids – Forma/Sigilo
Nada Nada Discos (2019)
Brazilian act Rakta were at the forefront of the post-punk revival several years back, and continue to be one of more captivating crews working in what has become a sort of genre-less field. Are they punk? Absolutely. But what punk means today is so much more than what it meant even 10 years ago. I saw them play at Iron … Read more
Various Artists
Say Sue Me / Otoboke Beaver Split 7”
Damnably / Electric Muse (2017)
Though the thought of pairing a shoegazey indie pop band with an anything-goes punk group on a split record may seem odd, in the case of this effort from South Korea's Say Sue Me and Japan's Otoboke Beaver, the results are magical. Say Sue Me's contribution is the sunny “Good For Some Reason,” which finds gorgeously hazy vocals soaring over … Read more
Various Artists
Spraynard & Sundials - Split
Evil Weevil (2011)
Spraynard hail from Pennsylvania and they play a style of punk that blends the varied melodic subgenres of punk rock (East Bay, beard punk, pop punk) to create their own identity—there’s a familiarity from their influences, but it doesn’t squarely pigeonhole them under a specific label. The band utilizes up-front bass that delivers the melody while the gruff, gruff vocals … Read more
Various Artists
Through Trials & Plead the Fifth - Split
Crossface (2009)
Oh for the love Mike, I need to stop swooping down on these split CDs on the promo list. I am always disappointed. I mean I try to be all for new bands and their new music but Through Trials and the Plead the Fifth are trying to battle out for being the most generic hardcore band of all time. … Read more
Various Artists
Touche Amore/Pianos Become The Teeth - Split
Topshelf (2013)
I’m going to say it outright; I love both of these bands and when I saw hints at this split popping up on message boards I couldn’t have been more excited. Of course with this attachment there is a huge build up of expectations and I can promise you that neither band disappoints, each putting up a song that is … Read more
Various Artists
Toys That Kill/Future Virgins - split
Drunken Sailor (2013)
Pairing Toys That Kill and Future Virgins in a single record, this Drunker Sailor 7” teams up bands that have released some of my favorite records of 2011 (Western Problems) and 2012 (Fambly 42). That’s a lot of quality, an intriguing pair-up and, honestly, a lot to live up to.Does the three song EP live up to expectations? More or … Read more
Various Artists
Underground Hip Hop Essentials Vol. 1
Sassbologna (2006)
It hasn't been until recently, with my discovery of artists like Ghostface Killah, that I started listening to hip hop again. I was excited when I saw this release, and knew I wanted to venture into the world of hip-hop reviews. The Underground Hip Hop Essentials Vol. 1 comp features thirteen tracks from underground rappers from around the country and … Read more
Various Artists
UNFUN/Despite Everything - Split EP
Hahaha Cool! Records (2012)
It's always cool when bands from opposite sides of the world do a split together. It worked great for Thursday and Envy. Here, we have UNFUN from Canada and Despite Everything from Greece. Both have a different brand of dirty punk-rock. In the case of this split though, the Canadians lost. UNFUN's songs have great material to dance and sing-a-long … Read more
Various Artists
Wonk Unit/Raging Nathans - split
Drunken Sailor (2016)
This split 7” from a US band and a UK band carries a surprisingly unified sound over its four songs, two from each band. The record starts with Raging Nathans and their whoa-oh pop-punk that sounds like it’s just a hair faster than it’s supposed to be – in a good way. Listening to their two songs brings a number … Read more
Vegas
Sagevisule
Last Anthem (2014)
The ever elusive Vegas has returned. While the band have released a scant few songs in the years since their full-length those songs have shown them maitaining a sense of quality. After a lengty wait a new EP containing four songs arrives, reflecting what Vegas is and where they may be heading.The whole shebang begins with a dark riff sounding … Read more
Vow
Make Me Yours EP
The Native Sound (2014)
Easily the aural equivalent of the light and fluffy clouds that pepper your daydreams, LA duo Vow's second EP Make Me Yours finds them producing a more definitive sound couched in an ethereal sweetness. Opener "Miles Away" embraces an industrial aesthetic with vocalist Julia Blake's lithe, sugar-sweet singing acting as a curveball amongst the heavy, morose synths. It sounds like … Read more
Voytek
Self Titled
Big Action (2011)
Voytek are a Minneapolis punk band currently taking things to the next level. Whether that level is up or down is in the eye of the beholder, but it will start with reviewing this 2 song 7”—or should I say: this 6 song digital EP? With the bonus material outweighing the physical form, it’s tough to gauge just what type … Read more
