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

The Phase Problem

The Power Of Positive Thinking
Brassneck Records (2024)

I spent a good part of the late ‘90s annoyed at the abundance of Ramonescore. I’ll stand by my word: many of the bands of that era were carbon copies that didn’t bring anything new to the format. But time has passed and what was overdone is now a refreshing change of pace. For whatever reason, when I hear a … Read more

Totally Slow

The Darkness Intercepts
Refresh Records (2024)

I find Totally Slow a hard band to categorize. Their brand of melodic, hard punk is familiar and comforting -- rooted in ‘80s hardcore, ‘90s skatepunk, and post-something guitar-driven rock. The press release namedrops Dag Nasty and Hot Snakes, among others, which I think are good starting points. But while it’s familiar, it’s absolutely not a carbon copy. Like their forebearers, the songs … Read more

Steamachine

City of Death
Records Workshop (2023)

City Of Death is the third album from Polish noise makers Steamachine. Having dabbled in a few metal styles over their career, City Of Death has a heavy carnival influence to it which I have to say I really like. It's interesting just how much more sinister things sound when you pump eerie, jingly circus sounds amongst very dark, heavy, … Read more