Varsity Drag / Chestnut Road - Split 7"

Varsity Drag / Chestnut Road - Split 7", a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Sick Scene / Boss Tuneage / Note To Self / Waterslide / Le Syndrone de Galilee (2013)

That's a whole lot of labels to be involved releasing one 7" record, but it's something I've seen more and more lately. I assume part of it is to defray the rising cost of putting out a record, but in some instances it has to be because of the amazing music contained on the record. I'll say this, someone needs to let me know what I have to do to get the PopKid logo on the back of the next Chestnut Road album, because they are quickly becoming one of my current favorite bands.

But let's start out with the other band on this split, Varsity Drag. I wasn't familiar with them and honestly I would have bought this 7" no matter who was the other band on here with Chestnut Road. Varsity Drag is fronted by Ben Deily, who was in The Lemonheads for their first few albums. There are 2 originals and a cover. The originals are both pretty good. Musically, they're upbeat and catchy with climbing guitar riffs and big hooks. Vocally, I don't think they're quite as strong, but these 2 originals are good enough to make me want to seek out more from the band. The 3rd song is a cover of a band called The Dark Matter. I don't know the original, but this cover is pretty terrible. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Chestnut Road can do little wrong as they continue to put their Broccoli/Hooton 3 Car inspired stamp on everything they've released. They also have 2 originals and a cover. The 2 originals are on par with any of the classics from their full length last year. They're such a dynamic band, cramming so much depth and excitement into their songs. Even the cover song, appropriately an song from The Lemonheads catalog, is certainly not phoned in. Chestnut Road really make it their own and it could easily be mistaken for one of their own.

I don't care if their next record has to be co-released by 100 labels, please keep filling this world with more Chestnut Road releases.

Varsity Drag Side:
varsitydrag.bandcamp.com/album/split-7-with-chestnut-rd

Chestnut Road Side:
chestnutroad.bandcamp.com/album/varsity-drag-split-7