The split album concept is an interesting premise, on the one hand being a perfect way for new bands to break on the scene. The audience of the two (or more) bands are pooled, whilst the costs of production are cut, making a high quality recording an actual possibility. On the other hand, the whole thing could go drastically wrong. The bands need to have similar qualities. Not many Avalon fans will want to buy a split Avalon / Zao album.
Stavesacre and Denison Marrs fit nicely together and it's not likely a fan of either the bands would be deterred by the other. Stavesacre pump out hard alternative rock, faintly familiar to Creed without the polished recording. Denison Marrs are a relatively unique fusion of punk, emo and pop. Both bands have a remarkable sense of melody extending well beyond the painfully overdone power chords we hear so often today in rock music.
The Stavesacre songs are disappointing. The song ideas show a faint progression on 99's Speakeasy - which in itself was not much of a progression on Absolutes -- but the production is the real let down. Surprising, since producer Clif Norrell has in the past worked with REM, Faith No More and Jeff Buckley. But a good track record doesn't guarantee success every time. Mark Salomon's vocals are washed out: it sounds like he's singing his heart out just to reach over the music. This drastically obstructs his performance, and the emotional intensity he was able to reach in Speakeasy is unattainable.
In contrast to Stavesacre, the Denison Marrs songs show a world of promise. They have the speedy attitude of punk songs, yet contain the beautiful melodic quality of emo. Simple lead guitar riffs layer the music in a field of melody and harmony, whilst charging underneath are powerful rhythms accented by Eric Collins' melancholic vocals. The result is a thick, emotionally triggered soundscape with a droning intensity that is simply amazing.
Despite Stavesacre's rather poor performance, I still look forward to future albums from both these bands: Denison Marrs to see where they go from here and how they develop; and Stavesacre in the hopes that they'll return to the quality of "Speakeasy."
Stavesacre -- 2.5 tocks.
Denison Marrs -- 4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Michial FarmerStavesacre turns in three uncharacteristically weak and uninspired tracks for this limited-edition split EP for Velvet Blue Music. They're paint-by-numbers affairs somewhere in between the hardcore of Absolutes and the more melodic, emo-influenced Speakeasy. Unfortunately, they lack the magic of either of these two albums and feel bland and emotionless. Only "Island" breaks the surface, and even…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Andy ArgyrakisStavesacre and Denison Marrs may appear to be a contrast in musical styles and instrumental exploration. Stavesacre thrives on rocking hard with the vocals of Mark Solomon, which have become a trademark over the years. Denison Marrs combines glowing emo rhythms with an alternative rock edge. Their differences on this EP are apparent, but the diversity makes this project all the more appealing,…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Trae CadenheadFor this split EP, Stavesacre broke away from the popular Tooth & Nail label to make something for the fans. In the process, they helped to further the popularity of Florida band Denison Marrs. Stavesacre starts off the split with three brand new songs. More in the direction that they took with Speakeasy, the new songs sound relatively dry and uninspired compared with past works from the band.…Similar sounding releases
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