We like bands working together in the harmonious creation of a single release that exposes fans of both to the sound of their contemporary. Sharing, after all, is caring.
Celebration Guns & Twin Ponies
celebration guns // twin ponies split
Celebration Guns opens the four song release with two tracks of “noisey, ambient, jungle pop” that has defined this up-and-coming Phoenix act. “folks inside” is the first song on the Celebration Guns // Twin Ponies Split and quickly establishes an upbeat atmosphere for the experimental sounds contained on the EP. A playful xylaphone kicks off the cheery-sounding, summer anthem “the volunteer”. Twin Ponies offers the latter two tracks that close the release with a bit more garage rock in place of the previously experienced indie pop of Celebration Guns. “exuviae” and “esquimaux” are diverse tracks that show Twin Ponies in their more energetic times as well as a more pensive and meandering moment. Listen/purchase the split release here.
Bitpart & Blanche Beach
I’ve long been a fan of Blanche Beach now, but the latest split cassette from the band released in cooperation with Bitpart has introduced me to a new artist, or “artists”, as Bitpart is the combined work of Julie Appéré and Éric Bricka with Kevin Rainsberry. The first three tracks contain the feisty, female-fronted punk rock of Bitrock, starting with lively, shout-it-out track “Black Eye”. Blanche Beach kicks off their three tracks with “Poor”, a summertime punk single that I just can’t get enough of. That fuzzy garage surf sound gets scrappy for “This Song is Not About You Amanda” and the energy stays up for “Feather Shirt”, the closing track from Blanche Beach. Listen/purchase here.
Young Hunter & Ohioan
Ohioan kicks off this split release put out by Tucson’s Sky Lantern Records with some good down-home desert drone. Just over twenty minutes of meandering, but progressive, musicality that held my interest the whole time… but I dig that sort of thing. Just after 11 minutes, vocals kick in without disrupting the easily shifting soundscapes heard on “Tetralogía Lavaplatos”. And, fair warning, the song will fade out and return so stay with her through the long run because the track settles into a lovely, slow-moving folk number. Young Hunter offers three tracks to the shared ventured, none nearly as long as the single song Ohioan brings out for listeners. “Welcome to Nothing” combines that desert drone sound with psychedelic rock to create powerful songs. If you’re planning on purchasing this album, I would recommend the $6 limited-edition cassette version while supplies last over the $1,000 digital download, but, hey Big Spender, bands always need the money. Listen/purchase here.
