Review by: John
What we have here is a split tape between two bands from the US, It’s Just Vanity and The Ground Is Lava. Both bands play tight, up-beat, noodly emo, the kind you’ve probably heard plenty of times
before but still find it a pleasure to listen to. Released by Keep it Together Records, a fantastic label
which has recently put a lot of great stuff, the two bands fit together well. They each play a similar
style of music drawing influence from the usual culprits – twinkly Midwest emos and trucker hat No
Idea bands, whilst but also adding their own ingredients to the mix. I’m particularly fond of this tape
because it seems as though it was thought through well. Both sides have similar production values
and most importantly, neither band is better than the other. It makes for an all round coherent split
tape. It’s Just Vanity occupy the A-side of this release and deliver two solid emo pop-punk bangers.
One stand out feature is the bridge in Second Elevation which has the closets thing to Gregorian
chanting you’ll probably ever find in an emo record. The ground is Lava offer up a similar pair of
technically accomplished songs, using time signatures other than 4/4 and some pretty impressive
walking basslines found at end of their second song, curiously titled DJ Baby Bok choy. Good tape,
good bands.