/The 20Belows Split,
ZatopeksThere’s nothing I like better than getting my hands on a good bit of vinyl. I know in rock circles it’s pretty much a dead format, but I just love the crackle of a record starting up. Thankfully, certain labels still release vinyl. One such label is All-Nite Records, and their latest output is a split 7” featuring The 20Belows and the Zatopeks.
The A-side of the release sees Danish outfit The 20Belows showcasing their brand of fast-paced pop-punk over the course of three tracks. Now on the positive side this band are very accomplished musically. ‘Down Below’ in particular has the bad firing on all cylinders – they certainly know how to write a catchy pop-punk song. However, there’s one thing that spoils it for me, and that is lead singer Ulli’s vocals. I know it’s only a small gripe, but his high-pitched nasal tones really spoil the songs for me. If, however, you can get over that, this is decent pop-punk fare.
Now the Zatopeks, on the other hand (and on the other side!) are a band that I am consistently impressed with. In a very stale pop-punk scene their 50’s influenced sound goes a big way to helping them stand out from the crowd. Kicking off with the supremely melodic ‘The Summer I Fell In Love With Jimmy’s Girl’ the band blast through three songs that don’t disappoint. If you want something a little bit different from a pop-punk band then these are the guys for you.
This split release is, in very clichéd footballers terms, a tale of two half’s. The first half is average, slightly hindered stuff from The 20 Belows. The second is a better, refreshingly different set from the Zatopeks. To be honest fans of pop-punk will probably lap up both sides, but for me there is a definite split.
www.all-nite-records.com
Mark
