Review / 200 Words Or Less
A Kid Named Thompson / Altus
Split

Seafoam (2009) Michael

A Kid Named Thompson / Altus – Split cover artwork
A Kid Named Thompson / Altus – Split — Seafoam, 2009

Two newcomers from Texas team up for a split 7" release. You get one track each, generally falling within the bounds of the indie music circuit.

A Kid Named Thompson is not a one-man emo guitarist - thank goodness. This three-piece outfit instead offers up "Fall Down," a three-minute venture of upbeat pop-rock. I'd liken them to Jimmy Eat World, thought the vocals aren't quite as powerful. Nevertheless, this is solid stuff and I can get into it.

Altus occupy the flipside of the 7" with their four-minute piece "The Ghost in You." The five-piece ensemble walks the line between 90's indie/emo and modern pop-rock. You get a nice combination of The Get Up Kids, Mineral, and Rival Schools. The inclusion of pianos and the female vocals definitely gives the band a different vibe, but it works.

This split is a nice snapshot of these two groups. They both are honing in on their respective sounds and I can see both of them going places if given the proper coverage.

7.0 / 10Michael • August 26, 2009

A Kid Named Thompson / Altus – Split cover artwork
A Kid Named Thompson / Altus – Split — Seafoam, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Sweat

Tear it on Down
Vitriol (2026)

Tear It On Down is the third record from Sweat and it picks up where the last two left off. It's aggressive hardcore punk, but with a playful groove or swagger that really makes it feel uplifting, even when the content is not. Case in point: "Surveillance State," which rolls kind of like a call-and-response song, except that lead vocalist … Read more

Latchkey Kids

Years Of Summers
Pathetic Pinky Party (2026)

Growing up is rarely cinematic in real time but when you look back, it can feel mythic. On Year Of Summers, New Jersey’s Latchkey Kids frame heartbreak, identity, and grief through something closer to epic storytelling than simple emo confession. It’s a record that understands the drama of youth without romanticizing it. Frontman Hanny Ramadan positions the album as a … Read more

Mental Gymnast

Mental Gymnast
Say-10 (2026)

Recipe: Mental Gymnast Self-Titled Creator: Mental Gymnast Cookbook: Say-10 Recipes Copyright: 2/27/26 Ingredients: 1 Very Ripe Adam Gecking on Vocals 1 Stick Unsalted Erica Clayton on Bass 2 Slices Scotty Sandwich (1 Slice Guitar, 1 Slice Drums) 1 Dash Chris Ruckus on Synths Directions: *Preheat the recording studio to 65 degrees. Add all of the ingredients together in “One Big … Read more