When I first started this blog nearly a year ago I wrote a draft post about this EP but I'd rambled on in a strange direction and decided it wasn't a very interesting read. Now, a year later, I'm probably going to end up writing something very similar; the only difference in my writing style is that I now think I know how semi-colons work. Basically draft #1 of this blog consisted of me thinking aloud about which band comes across the best on this record - three bands each covering a song by the other two. I couldn't decide whether a good cover said much about that band themselves, or more about the song they were covering. I shelved the original post because I re-read it and thought that was a stupid point to try to make. I think the record is excellent and that's what I should be focusing on.
For those who don't know, Calvinball, ONSIND and Apologies, I Have None all toured together a few years ago and decided to put out a split record in my favourite sense of the word - where each band covers the others. I saw both ONSIND and Calvinvall for the first time on the same day at K-Fest in Kingston. I'd listened to ONSIND beforehand (you can read more about that here) and particularly enjoyed hearing Calvinball cover ONSIND's Heterosexuality is a Construct live (I often find I have their gruff-punk version in my head at times). I hadn't listened to AIHN until I saw them at the release show for this very record. They blew me away too and their debut album London ended up being my favourite record of 2012.
So avoid a repeat of my pointless rant, I'll simply say that this record is great. There are six great songs and each band puts their own unique style on the cover and makes it their own. Even if you're only into one of the bands on here then there's something for you. One song I will single out is AIHN's cover of ONSIND. I knew the original well when I went to the release show but I loved what they added to the song - in the first chorus there's this keyboard melody that appears and really makes the song. Somehow I had that melody in my head when I listened to the original, despite it not being there and I loved that Apologies brought it out. At the show I remember my friend turning to me as if to say the same thing.
A final point worth making is that the screen-printed b-side of this record looks incredible (please excuse the dark picture below). One of the reasons I started this blog was because I wanted to document some of my nicer bits of vinyl and this is certainly one of the nicest. Specialist Subject have since upped their game even further with the Muncie Girls and Arteries EPs.
Format: 12", screenprinted vinyl
Tracks: 6
Cost: £6 new
Bought: Gig
When: 16/11/11
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: download card
