Artists: The Front Bottoms and GDP
Release Date: April 18th, limited vinyl release for Record Store Day and digital
Rating: 4/5
Labels: Bar None & Run For Cover
The Front Bottoms and GDP. both artists from New Jersey, and their respective labels, the fabulous Run For Cover and Bar None, banded together to put out a 7″ with 2 brand new songs from each artist exclusively for Record Store Day this year. Limited to just 2,000 the split is a hot commodity and once it’s out you’re SOL unless you want to give in to the temptation of scalpers Thankfully I was able to pick up a copy last minute on Saturday thanks to a tip from a friend so I can give the finger to eBay. While I was given a digital version of the split for a review being the huge Front Bottoms fan that I am I had to have a physical.
Splits are pretty rad because it gives artists a chance to be exposed to people who might not normally check out their music and in this particular case I was exposed to the hip hop artist GDP. I’m a fan of hip hop but GDP’s music didn’t hit me as hard as I would have liked; the beats were phenomenal but the lyrics didn’t get me all that stoked. However, I will say that I am intrigued enough to go and check out some more of his stuff before I make a final decision on GDP.
The production value of these two tracks could easily be the best of anything they’ve released thus far.The Front Bottoms tracks were magnificent to say the least; of the two I enjoyed Wolfman a bit more. While the subject material of dealing with a breakup is nothing new to the Front Bottoms the band proves their staying power by working with the familiar lyrical territory without feeling like it’s become old hat.
I was willing to go out and venture out in the wild clusterfuck that is Record Store Day; that alone should let you know the ep is worth picking up online.