Goodbye good bands

Two of my favorite releases from this past year were released by two bands who coincidentally also just broke up. So it goes. I thought I would share their albums with any readers of this blog, especially considering that they're both fairly hard to get.

First is Melbourne's The Diamond Sea. Though they're clearly named after a Sonic Youth song, they sound more akin to old PNW riotgrrl like Excuse17 or Sleater-Kinney, but with the melodic sensibilities of The Wipers, the old emo band Dahlia Seed, or perhaps Hot Snakes (is that a stretch?). Their music is driving and sometimes choppy, with well-balanced juxtapositions between instruments, and plenty of harmonizing all over the place. When I first heard this, I seriously said aloud, "who the fuck is this? It's amazing!" So yeah, get it. I especially recommend the songs Heavy Skies, and Safe Keeping.




The Diamond Sea - Slow Single EP


The other band that broke up recently is Fleabag, who were going to be in Seattle in about a week to play a show with my friends and recent tour-mates Agatha. We listened to their tape a lot on tour, lamenting about how sad it is that they split up. I don't know too much about them, but they sound akin to other current lo-fi female fronted pop-punk bands like P.S. Elliot, Little Lungs, or classic bands like Discount. This tape is drenching with positive vibes and earnestness, the perfect thing to listen to when it's gorgeous outside, or if you need a little pick-me-up on sad days.


Fleabag - self titled cassette EP