A One AM Radio vs Jerome's Dream styled split here, with one side really mellow and the other a chaotic mess. I like this sort of contrast as you get to hear music you wouldn't normally pursue. Torrential Downpour play on the first side, a one man project of Jeremy Vavrik. It's lo-fi acoustic stuff, people refer to this kind of thing as folk punk but I don't really get this. Sure it labels a particular type of folk music but it doesn't sound anything like punk. Anyway, there are simple chords and melancholic lyrics. It's nice enough, not really a sound I really go for. Overall it's honest and a decent listen.

On the other side are Parrhesia, who are the main reason I bought this split. It's screamo and whilst described by the label as being Orchid worshipping I see more modern influences in their sound. Orchid is there in the background but there are mellow parts straight out of the June Paik guide to making music. Weirdly enough it also sounds in places like a lot of Malaysian bands around at the moment, such as Building Of The Heartbraker Pyramid. Overall it's nothing special but is enjoyable and it's nice to see a US band going down this route rather than the various other screamo routes a lot have gone down recently. More melancholic lyrics about decay and struggle in the world. If you crave constant new fixes of screamo to appease you then check this out, you may well enjoy the opposite side too. 20th December 2009