Posts Tagged ‘The Amistad’


29.10.2009

Vinyl Corner: Above Them & The Amistad

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner

Split Blue Vinyl 7″

aboveamistad

The vinyl keeps flowing here at SAL. Here’s another split this time between two UK bands. The Amistad take on Side A and the band play that gruff  brand of pop/punk. I covered the band last year and not much has changed. But that’s a good thing. Granted this style has been done to death so it’s difficult to make a lasting impression. But, The Amistad do it as well as anybody else these days and still bring to mind bands like Dillinger Four and Latterman. You can’t ask for much more than that.

On the B Side we have Above Them who I covered briefly in the past. Above Them show a bit more diversity. You can tell these guys are coming from indie/punk background but they don’t let that hinder their songwriting in the least bit. These two songs sound a bit less emo(tional) in their tone than past stuff I’ve heard. Both songs are great and seem more rooted in rustic type punk rock even sounding like The Gaslight Anthem a bit. The band has an interesting and rather large palette that they are working with and I’m curious to hear what’s next.

All in all…a winner of a 7″ if you ask me!

Label: Disillusioned

06.08.2008

Orphan Choir/The Amistad: Split 7″

posted by Will

in Music Reviews, Vinyl Corner

A split between a Canadian and a UK band might sound like an odd combo at first but these two bands fit together rather well. Windsor, Ontario’s Orphan Choir start things off on Side A with two songs. “Groundbreaking Ceremony” is a fast paced track with vocals that instantly bring to mind Tom Gabel of Against Me. The song is more varied than your normal Against Me! track, most notably with a heavier guitar sound. It is a great track that starts this 7″ off on a definite high note. The band follows that up with a nicely done acoustic number called “Cross Your Fingers” which thankfully never crosses over into the redundant folk/punk territory.

Now we move over to Side B where UK’s The Amistad clock in. The band makes it clear rather quickly who the winner of this split will be. This is some great rip-roaring, dual-vocals pop/punk rock! The band reminds me of Dillinger Four but they are a little more straight forward in their approach. “The Only Living Boy In Banner Cross” has the lyric, And the last time I felt fully human, there was an old Broadways song on my walkman, and I’m done. The band has already won me over with that. Lyrically, The Amistad are wordy but in an awesome way much like the aforementioned Dillinger Four. The second track, “So This Is Where The Fun Times End And The Male Pattern Baldness Sets In” has a great Latterman feel to it with it’s unbridled youthful energy. If these two songs are any indication whatsoever, The Amistad are a band to watch very closely. Definitely recommended!

Genre: Punk/Rock

RIYL: Latterman, The Broadways, Dillinger Four

Label: Records Or It Didn’t Happen/Document

www.myspace.com/orphanchoir

www.myspace.com/theamistadband