SeeYouSpaceCowboy/Secondgradeknifefight - Split 7"

Labels: Dark Trail Records/Dingleberry Records/Longrail Records/Miss The Stars Records/Pattern Recognition Records/Rakkerpak Records/R.I.P In Peace Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 13 Feb 2018

Tracklist:

1. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - I Am A Trans-Continental Railroad, Please Run A Train On Me

2. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Stop Calling Us Screamo

3. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - You Don't Understand The Liquor Is Calling The Shots Now Randy Bobandy

4. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - You Can't Get Goose Justice In A Fox Court, Just Spit On The Judge

5. Secondgradeknifefight - Who What When Were Why Did Take My Bug Collection (There's No Trust In This Household)

6. Secondgradeknifefight - Don't Tell Me You Like Monster Energy Drinks Cause I'll Break Your Kneecaps Motherfucker (Tonya Harding Shuffle)

7. Secondgradeknifefight - My Heart Is Broken But I Still Need To Get My Jetta Fixed Asap (No Time For Tom Foolery)

8. Secondgradeknifefight - Glass Vampires Roam These Darkened Woods Fellas (Protek Ya Nek)

9. Secondgradeknifefight - The Devil Is Real And He Tried To Eat My Ass (Goodbye Uncle Fuck)

If you think I'm typing those song titles in full in this review, you're kidding yourself. Anyway, this is my latest Zegema Beach Records roster review, which is a series I started so I could dig deeper into the label's previous releases. There was no other reason for it, apart from because I wanted to. This split was released in 2018 via ZBR and the other superb labels mentioned above. Notably, it features the final SeeYouSpaceCowboy song's before they signed to Pure Noise Records and forms the last Secondgradeknifefight recording to date (if Discogs is to be believed!). 

Featuring four math/sasscore songs from SeeYouSpaceCowboy and five Myspace-grind era songs from Secondgradeknifefight, this split doesn’t surpass ten minutes. SeeYouSpaceCowboy kick it off with ‘I Am A Trans-Continental Railroad…’ and if you’re familiar with their previous 7” Fashion Statements Of The Socially Aware, you’ll know what’s coming. Ridiculously heavy mathcore with grind, breakdowns and rock n roll vibes. ‘Stop Calling Us Screamo’ is an order not a song title! It also shows SYSC’s humour to be on point. Frenetic but also danceable. 

‘You Don’t Understand The Liquor Is Calling…’ is violence at it’s most controlled. I say that because it’s frightening how tight SYSC sound on this split. Over in a flash, it’s top-tier modern day mathcore. I was reminded earlier this week that they’re playing at Slam Dunk festival in the UK this year. They’re worth the price of the ticket alone! Their split closer ‘You Can’t Get Goose Justice…’ blasts through sixty seconds before one last bluesy/off-kilter passage leads to silence.

That silence is well and truly shattered a split-second later by Secondgradeknifefight’s opener ‘Who What When Where Why…’, with it’s siren-like guitar and super-fast grinding madness. ‘Don’t Tell Me You like The Police…’ features a sinister horror-inspired rap sample at the start before crunching, breakdown-filled craziness ensues. 

Urgency is felt even more on Secondgradeknifefight’s side of this split, though ‘My Heart Is Broken But I Still Need To Get My Jetta Fixed…’ is an outlier at first thanks to the honestly angry screams that give way to low-register growls and instrumentation. ‘Glass Vampires Roam These Darkened Woods…’ seems lengthy compared to the songs it’s followed and you might be forgiven for thinking that you’re listening to a blackgaze song initially, before being snapped out of any such trance by yet more violent extremity.

Secondgradeknifefight’s final number ‘The Devil Is Real And He Tried To Eat My Ass…’ rounds out the b-side with one final quick-fire reminder of why Myspace grind is still important and held in such high regard. As a solo project, this band is ultra creative.

As splits go, this was a glimpse in time for one band about to make their next step and one that was about to fall silent. Both SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Secondgradeknifefight helped to rebuild a sound and a community that’s flourishing now. They should be revered and enjoyed in equal measure.

Stream and purchase the split as a digital download below:-

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - https://www.facebook.com/seeyouspacecowboyca

Secondgradeknifefight - https://www.facebook.com/Secondgradeknifefight

You can hear much more about the history of this release from CanaDave's Out Past The Rings video here:-

Physical copies of this split are almost sold out and it will not be pressed again. A small number of copies are still available from the R.I.P In Peace Records below:-

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://ripinpeacerecords.storenvy.com/seeyouspacecowboy-secondgradeknifefight-split

Dark Trail Records - https://www.facebook.com/darktrailrecords

Dingleberry Records - https://www.facebook.com/DingleberryRecords

Longrail Records - https://www.facebook.com/longrailrecords

Miss The Stars Records - https://www.facebook.com/missthestarsrecords

Pattern Recognition Records - https://www.facebook.com/PatternRecognitionRecords

Rakkerpak Records - https://www.facebook.com/rakkerpakrecords

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://www.facebook.com/r.i.p.inpeacerecords

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Fashion Statements Of The Socially Aware + Cassingle

Labels: Zegema Beach Records/React With Protest/Structures//Agony Records/Contrition Recordings/Middle-Man Records/Dog Knights Productions

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 Jun 2017

Tracklist:

1. An Introduction For People Who Hate Introductions

2. Jimmy Buffet Doesn't Even Surf

3. Soap Opera Stardom Is A Single Tear Drop Away

4. Pep Talk From A Nihilist

5. Fashion Statements Of The Socially Aware

6. Absolutely Absolute Absolution

If you miss the Myspace days and listen to Mathcore Index's Mathcast, you'll likely be aware of the current crop of insane, fast and gnarly screamo/violent hardcore bands that are coming through. SeeYouSpaceCowboy are one of those bands and they're on a very upward trajectory. They released their first demo in 2016 and followed it up with this 7" last year, which received two pressings via a collaboration of no less than six DIY labels. As a band they are standing up against social injustices within their scene, which is noticeable in both their song-titles/lyrics and in the way they conduct themselves. 

The first thing that immediately stands out for me with SeeYouSpaceCowboy is the eye-catching artwork on the sleeve of the 7”. The first pressing was bright yellow, while the second pressing is a bright intense pink. I’m okay with colourful presentation, as it makes a change from black and white. Songs-wise, SYSC don’t hang about. An Introduction For People Who Hate Introductions is a sixty-second blast of off-kilter, angular grind violence with solid screamo sensibilities. Plenty of math-like time signatures, trebly riffs, seriously uptempo percussion and a lung busting vocal delivery, which is the icing on this particular cake. Jimmy Buffet Doesn’t Even Surf is somehow heavier and more intense with the entire band working together to unsettle you. Trying to keep up with the music while typing this review is not easy. Soap Opera Stardom Is A Single Tear Drop Away highlights just how much they can fit into a song and shows that while the music may seem chaotic and un-structured, it’s actually quite the opposite. SYSC are incredibly tight musicians and they have to be with the amount of precision that’s present in these short grinding bursts. 

Pep Talk From A Nihilist has a garage-punk feel initially before turning into a breakdown-filled beast with low death metal grunts at times. The title-track is a trade-off between mathcore and introspective emo, but with gang vocals. When things do explode towards the end, you’re not sure which way is up and what you’re listening to. It’s a little ironic of me to say at this point that they’re impossible to truly pin down musically (when I’ve tried my best so far), but the truth is that they’re playing what they want to and are taking us along for the ride. Absolutely Absolute Absolution typifies that point as it closes out this mesmeric and jarring EP. SeeYouSpaceCowboy are nothing short of amazing at what they do. There’s a tidal wave flowing through the underground scene and this quintet are at it’s tip, waiting to wash away any opposition in their path.

Stream "FSOTSA" and purchase a download or one of the band's four remaining 7"s below:-

Labels: Self-Released/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: 7" Lathe/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 02 Nov 2017

Tracklist:

1. Atrocities From A Story Book Perspective

This special single-song release was recorded by the band, shortly after having their trailer and gear stolen while on tour last summer. The band has released it digitally and via a specially pressed 7" lathe cut, while Zegema Beach Records has released a limited run of tapes. Both of which have sold out from SYSC themselves. I felt it was more than worthwhile tagging a small write-up of the single  onto the end of this piece. 

In a time when CD singles seem to be dying a slow death, it’s cool to see bands and labels finding more artistic ways to release single songs. That’s what both SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Zegema Beach Records have done here. SYSC release “Atrocities From A Story Book Perspective” on a very limited run of 20 7” lathes with screen-printed b-sides, while Zegema Beach went with the cassingle option. This song is pissed straight from the off but retains a slight garage-punk vibe. Swirling with feedback and chugging riffs it’s a lot angrier and more hardcore orientated. As soon as it’s started, it finished. Such a cool idea and a release that will no doubt be lauded by fans and sold for extortionate amounts on Discogs in the future (completely against everything the release stands for). Support SYSC.

Stream the song and support SeeYouSpaceCowboy by purchasing a download here:-

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - https://www.facebook.com/seeyouspacecowboyca/

Check the below links for availability of both releases (these are the labels that still have copies left):-

Zegema Beach Records - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/

React With Protest - http://www.reactwithprotest.org/store.php

Middle-Man Records - http://middlemanrecords.storenvy.com

Dog Knights Productions - http://dogknightsproductions.limitedrun.com

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

React With Protest - https://www.facebook.com/ReactwithProtest

Structure//Agony Records - https://www.facebook.com/structuresagonyrecords

Contrition Recordings - https://www.facebook.com/contritionrecordings/

Middle-Man Records - https://www.facebook.com/middlemanrecords/

Dog Knights Productions - https://www.facebook.com/dogknights/