With the vinyl boom, what has been a great rarity for many years is once again coming to light: 7" split singles. Two bands, a maximum of two songs per band, and nice artwork, and the single is ready.
In this case, THE DROWNS and THE LAST GANG are gracing us with their presence. Each band is represented with a new song on this 7" single, which is available in black vinyl, green vinyl, or green-yellow splatter vinyl. That really makes your heart soar.
I wasn't familiar with either band before, but that changed after listening to the single. Both bands leave you wanting more, but I don't want to give away the conclusion just yet, so I'll introduce both bands with their respective new songs below.
THE DROWNS from Seattle are currently on a European tour, having played at the Mighty Sounds Festival in the Czech Republic, and will continue to make waves in Europe until July.
THE DROWNS play darkly tinged rock 'n' roll that immediately reminded me of AC/DC with the singer's voice. I mean, it sounds so much like AC/DC. With my eyes closed, I wouldn't guess that this is a band that isn't named AC/DC. However, they are by no means a tribute band, as THE DROWNS are too distinctive for that. They incorporate enough punk rock and dirty rock 'n' roll into their song to avoid sounding like a cover band of AC/DC. The drums pound powerfully, and the guitar is more in tune with Iggy and the Stooges than with country rock. The song hits hard and impressively shows that rock 'n' roll will always live on. It really makes you crave more of this song.
THE LAST GANG comes across much more positively and poppier with female vocals. Isn't this a Fat Wreck band? A quick search online confirms it. Yes! I knew it. It sounds like it. Nice California punk rock with a feel-good attitude. The chorus is pretty, even if not profound...
The problem with a dream...waking up...lonely...
You can listen to it three times, sing along super well, and the mood rises. A song that is fun, and the vocals remind me a bit of Wick from Bambix. Also a good reference, making this another band for me to follow.
As I hinted at the beginning of this review, these are two bands to remember. For some, the first band might be too heavy and weighty, while the second band might be too poppy in contrast, but since each band presents a new song, that should be bearable for the fan.
