So, here we have Split Cranium an interesting project band formed by some of the people behind the acclaimed Circle with the addition of Aaron Turner (of Old Man Gloom, House Of Low Culture, Mamiffer, Jodis and formerly of Isis amongst others); and this band is nothing like anything else that these gentlemen are all known for churning out in their myriad of other musical wanderings and recordings. This self-titled album is more akin to an acid drenched hardcore record more in tune with later era Black Flag than anything else, and in many ways there are some gems among the eight tracks from Split Cranium.
There are some real burning and rip roaring songs to be heard on Split Cranium that are just as face melting as anything that some kid in a garage is belting out at this very minute; listen to the blistering “Little Brother”, “The Crevice Within”, “Sceptres To Rust”, or the Motorhead gallop of “Tiny Me” and try and tell me that these guys do not seem completely comfortable belting out this raucous music. Still, the really surprising moment on the record comes during “Blossoms From Boils” when the band breaks into a bridge that sounds eerily reminiscent of the annoyingly infectious bridge of the Franz Ferdinand bridge in their big hit “Take Me Out” before going off in all sorts of other awesome directions; and you know what… it works incredibly well in this song to the point of helping this stand out on the album.
Split Cranium is a solid effort from this disparate group of like minded individuals who are stepping out of their normal comfort zones to drop what is a mostly fun sounding affair, but maybe that is my biggest gripe with the album and the group as a whole; Split Cranium just does not sound desperate enough to be a gripping punk and hardcore record or to stand toe to toe with those kids from the garage who are mired in adolescent angst and confusion that are working out their twisted emotions in music, and I am not saying that these gentlemen are not angsty enough, just that Split Cranium might sound a bit to polished and not dangerous enough for my taste.
