Today is the final day of England's current lockdown, so that means this is the last post on this page for now (until the next lockdown / isolation / whatever). For such a momentous post, we have a compilation. In 2014 Secret Audio Club released a series of ten seven-inches, and this digital release pretty much compiles all of them. So, without further adieu...
𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 / 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 (𝟭-𝟰)
We kick off with a punk rock split from New Jersey's Casual and Pennsylvania's Crybaby, with both bands covering each other for one song, and contributing an original too. Casual's sound is sloppy emo-tinged pop punk, whilst Crybaby have a slightly harder sound akin to Plow United.
𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀 / 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 (𝟱-𝟲)
The second split is a country affair. Austin Lucas' song was recorded live, but doesn't sound like it. The song is a little *too* country for my tastes, and I'm not sure about some of the lyrics, but his FB page describes him as "Anti-Fascist [and] Punk AF!" so I should probably check out some of his other stuff. Still, John Moreland's track is far more my thing, with gruffer vocals, and a frankly dreamy accompaniment.
𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗴𝗮 / 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝟳-𝟴)
One song each here from New Jersey indie punks Aspiga and Long Island indie pop-punks Broadcaster, and both efforts rock quite nicely thank you very much.
𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 / 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 (𝟵-𝟭𝟮)
Delaware's Gifthorse play acoustic indie rock on these two songs, and apparently like Tom Petty. They're paired with two songs from indie punks Broken Field Runner from Albany, NY, although only "In a Bad Way" was on the actual 7".
𝗣𝗝 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱 / 𝗔𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 (𝟭𝟯-𝟭𝟰)
This is my favourite seven inch here, mainly due to PJ Bond's "Let the Hammer Fall", which is gorgeous, and also features Colorado's Arliss Nancy, who then contribute "Out Alive". Catchy folk and americana-tinged rock make this an awesome split.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 / 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 (𝟭𝟱-𝟭𝟴)
Marathon's tracks are vastly different, with a metal-tinged punk blast followed by an acoustic version of "I Don't Have a Dancing Problem" which I really like. Fire When Ready's side features two demo versions of their progressive punk.
𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 / 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘁𝘀 (𝟭𝟵-𝟮𝟮)
Podacter are a decent gruff punk / melodic hardcore act, whilst New Jersey compatriots Banquets are poppier, like a punkier Woolworthy. Alas the second Banquets song on the physical seven inch "Hop A Plane" is missing here for some reason.
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 / 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱 (𝟮𝟮-𝟮𝟯)
Seven inch number eight features Placeholder and Such Gold, but only the former make it on to this comp (you can download Such Gold's track for $1.50 from their bandcamp if you like). Placeholder's two tracks of "power emo" are pretty decent.
𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼 (𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱)
With the honour of a 7" all to themselves is Massachusetts' Half Hearted Hero. Their songs are in the wrong order here, with b-side "YouTube" before a-side "Satori". Either way, they sound hella emo to me, but self-describe as melodic / pop / skate punk.
𝗕𝗼𝘅𝗲𝗿 / 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 (𝟮𝟲-𝟮𝟴)
The final split features two songs from Virginia alternative-rockers Boxer, and one from Pennsylvania country-punks The Hundred Acre Woods, whose track I adore, and which brings the collection to a close.
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺:
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