Zaleski / Ugly Zoo - Split

Label: Fleeting Youth
Year: 2014

Not a split as much as it is a consolidation. What you're getting is the debut ep from Ohio band Zaleski called 'Void', and the debut ep from Pennsylvania band Ugly Zoo called 'Ugly Zoo' (easy enough), and what those two eps, or bands, have in common I could not tell you. I mean, aside from being on opposite sides of this record, that is.
Zaleski are up first with five songs that draw from slightly spaced out post hardcore vein, but maintain enough vigor to keep their orbit in check. It's sort of the DIY basement show version of Hum, if you know what I mean. Their songs want to drift off into the sky, but the band seems to wrangle them out of the haze and into submission by way of volume, lurching power distortion, and well placed scrapes of anger. I like it. Whether or not it likes me is another story.
Ugly Zoo carry the flipside with four songs that also walk the post hardcore walk and talk the noisy guitar rock talk. And that walk is decidedly more upbeat than their compatriots on the reverse of this record. No hesitation shown, just punchy urgency. Moments of Crain, moments of The Great Brain, and a few hints of 400 Blows and No Age as well. I imagine their practice space smells a real fright. I like this as well. Feeling pretty good that it might actually like me back. Call it a hunch.

DL