Labels: Yo-Yo Records
Review by: MH
I picked this split up recently at these two bands’ first ever UK gig in Whitechapel. Both bands contribute a new track and then a cover of one another’s songs. Fellow Project are probably the most ludicrously untalked-about band right now and the first song, “Currents” is a good example of their emo/post hardcore. It starts off slowly with a lurching, lumbering riff before picking up the pace. I really like the lyrics too – “I’ll drift if you admit we’re lost/May never see shore”. They cover “Sea Fever” which is on The Marine Electric’s latest album. It’s a good song and they give it their own slant – so much so that it bears little resemblance to the original and just sounds like one of their own songs. Brilliant. The theme on these two songs seems to be seafaring rather than anything to do with horses or stables. Both these songs would have fit seamlessly onto “Stable Life” and that is no faint praise as it’s one of the best albums I have heard in years.
The Marine Electric were unfortunate enough to have to play after Fellow Project that night and it was a hard act to follow. Their sound is somewhere between Polar Bear Club and something like Thousandaires – throaty vocals and a melodic post hardcore slant. I have given their album a few listens and am not yet convinced – maybe it’s the digital files I have of the album reducing the quality. However, I really like what they have done on this 7inch. The first song on here is more angry, more raw and packs a bit more punch than what I have previously heard by them. They then give themselves a tall order and cover “Eggshells” which is one of my favourite Fellow Project songs. They retain the aggression of the original and give it more of a punky, poppier edge and again it’s very good.