Rival Schools/Onelinedrawing
Rival Schools United by Onelinedrawing
Some
Let me introduce you. Onelinedrawing is a nom de rock for none other than Jonah from Far. Rival Schools includes Walter (Quicksand), Sammy (CIV), Ian (Burn), and Cache (Iceberg). These are members of some of my all-time favorite bands. These two new bands came together to form a temporary supergroup. Instead of merely splitting a CD, the two bands blend together seamlessly to create music. This should have worked for me.
Strangely, I have an unaccounted for sense of disappointment. I will grant that this release has some moments. The songwriting is great. The songs themselves are fine. The performance is lacking. These songs just don’t seem energized. And I don’t mean that to say “they aren’t ’80s style hardcore anthems” – hell, Belle And Sebastian can be energized. Nancy F-ing Sinatra can be energized. Julio Iglesias can be• well, anyway, you get my point. It just takes that little extra punch and a little belief in what you are saying. For some reason, that energy just doesn’t come across here.
According to the press release, this CD is the beginning of a projected group of split CDs that Rival Schools will do in the same general way. I like the concept better than I like the execution this time around, but mark me when I say that with more preparation time on the next one, I bet it will fly.
Some Records, 122 West 29th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001; http://www.some.com
