Athens trio Gorilla Party and Kent quartet Clementines complement each other well on their four-track Split EP, out Friday, April 17. Each band takes two tracks on the release, and though the two groups have distinctive sounds, they share a certain rock attitude.
The Split EP opens with two Clementines songs: “Daffodil Hill” feels surfy at first with its bright, tangy guitar chords and solid percussion, and though guitarist and vocalist Dylan Stroh’s voice first feels just a touch lackluster in its lower range compared to the other instruments, his voice feels almost immediately stronger as he begins to sing in the higher range partway through the song. Near the end of the track, a series of overlapping falsetto voices add a lighter touch to the song as the guitars, bass and cymbals create a rich sonic combination.
In contrast, “SSBU” has a little more grit and garage; drummer Sam Rubin uses cymbals to create prominent percussion, and Stroh’s voice takes on an emo tone as he borders on yelling (“I just wanna get drunk with my friends/I just wanna play Smash ’til the end”). The track is driving and cool, grounded by fuller guitar riffs and a fuzzy guitar-picking solo that cuts through the thickness to bring the song to a close.
On Gorilla Party’s half of the release, “Betty White Claw” begins sounding mellow but quickly ramps up as drummer Tyler Tompkins adds a swift cymbal voice. The song jumps from an almost low-key section with Preston Frick’s bass guitar building tension to a punkier-sounding part with edgier vocals and more solid percussion.
But “RSVP,” the EP’s final track, immediately shows more energy. Carson Dunlap holds nothing back as he boldly sings, and the guitar, bass and drums line up neatly as all of the instrumentals take on a percussive, punctuating quality behind Dunlap’s yelling. The combination makes for an irresistible track, and “RSVP” is a fitting end to the EP as Gorilla Party draws out the last minute of the song in a languid, slowed-down finale complete with overlapping vocalizing and decadent guitar and bass tones.
Left: Gorilla Party. Photo courtesy of Gorilla Party.
Right: Clementines. Photo courtesy of Clementines.
The EP presents a wonderful contrast between two takes on rock music, and each of the four tracks takes on a unique tone while maintaining a similar driving, rocking attitude. Gorilla Party and Clementines’ Split EP is out on Friday, April 17. In the meantime, preorder the EP on Gorilla Party and Clementines‘ Bandcamp pages.
Originally published on Indientry on April 16, 2020.
Abby Jeffers 