COFFEE AND ANGER

Kerouac / The Long Haul split - Sarah Hammond

Living in Southampton, I was aware of both of these bands before the split came out, having started listening to Kerouac a bit after their EP ‘Cold and Distant, Not Loving’ was released. However, I first remember seeing Kerouac at a show w/Burn The Fleet, Goodtime Boys and Kasa in late 2010 and it was that, combined with this record that really cemented Kerouac, for me anyway, as one of the best hardcore bands around (can I call them hardcore?), both locally and on a larger scale.

To start with I’ll just say a little bit about The Long Haul’s half. Due to lineup changes etc they don’t play the songs off of the split, which while completely understandable, is also a bit of a shame, because while Debtors is great, personally I think the 3 songs on here are the best they’ve done.

Leading on from those, Kerouac’s half of the split kicks off with ‘I Owe Some People The World’, ‘But I Owe You Shit’, followed by ‘Young Wounds’, managing to mix heavy with melodic, yet still leaving room for the raw vocals to filter through, which really come into their own on the closing track, my personal favourite, ‘Porcelain’. While I’m in no position to comment further on the musical skills/technicality of the music etc, what I do know is that the songs on this split are refreshing, captivating, and certainly do not disappoint live. If you haven’t listened to it before, then you probably should.

On a final note - Kerouac are playing their final show on Saturday, with some of the best bands in the UK at the moment - Bastions, Pariso, The Long Haul, Gnarwolves (my new favourite), and a special guest that is yet to be announced, but I know a lot of people have strong suspicions about. I know people say this all the time about anything, but if you’re a fan of Kerouac, any of the other bands on the bill, hardcore in general, or simply supporting up and coming bands, it really is not one to miss.

- Sarah