Nebraska/Diplomat - Split LP

Tracklist:-

1. Nebraska - Carousel

2. Nebraska - Gravity's Fool

3. Nebraska - Lower Light

4. Diplomat - Minarets

5. Diplomat - Geisha

6. Diplomat - We Were Just Faking

I can't believe it's already August. It feels like only yesterday when I was sat here glancing over social media news feeds salivating over the many releases that were due this year. I've barely scratched the surface. Take this split LP by Australian bands Nebraska and Diplomat. It was released way back in January via four labels from different parts of the world. It was their first release since their debut S/T 7" in 2012 (aside from comp appearances) and it features the first recordings from Diplomat since 2003! Both bands play a take on indie/emo/rock.

Both bands have three songs on this split. Nebraska’s up first with Carousel. The music is twinkly and up front while the vocals sit deeper and sound quiet at times and a bit grunge-like in places. They explode with a DIY sound akin to early La Dispute towards the end. Gravity’s Fool is quite easy going and there’s more than a mere hint of classic 90s emo about it. The vocals are shouted but are still clean and audible, which is where that comparison comes from. Nebraska’s final song Lower Light teeters on the brink between quiet calm and emotive chaos. They wait once again till it’s closing stages to release the pressure and quash any suspense. Diplomat seems like the perfect split partner here. On their opener Minarets they definitely have that earthy sound that only comes from Australian bands, with a bit of Deftones thrown in for good measure. Geisha is a mid-paced trip between fuzzy rock and occasional fits of screamo. Musically, they are more than sound with hypnotic layers created by guitars and percussion alike. Their final song We Were Just Faking is hard to categorise. There’s all kinds of rock, punk and even country music elements in there. This a great split record and both bands compliment each other well. Nebraska’s more old-school emo might seem at odds with Diplomat’s noisy rock but it’s not. Good job all round.

Nebraska's and Diplomat's sides can be streamed and purchase digitally or on LP via the bandcamp pages below:-

Nebraska - http://nebraskafromadelaide.tumblr.com
Diplomat - https://www.facebook.com/diplomatband/

You can also pick up copies of the LP from the labels involved in the release below:-

Ruined Smile Records (AUS) - https://ruinedsmilerecords.bandcamp.com/merch
Time As A Color (GER) - http://timeasacolor.com/shop/product-category/time-as-a-color-releases/
Rubaiyat Records (UK) - http://rubaiyatrecords.bigcartel.com/category/rubaiyat-records
Don't Live Like Me (US) - https://dontlivelikeme.bandcamp.com/album/nebraska-diplomat-12

Ruined Smile Records - https://www.facebook.com/ruinedsmilerecords/
Time As A Color - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor/
Rubaiyat Records - https://www.facebook.com/rubaiyatrecords
Don't Live Like Me - https://www.facebook.com/dontlivelikeme/