One of the spillover benefits of the vinyl resurgence has been the huge uptick in split releases. I am a proponent of these because I think that when the band pairing is thoughtful and weighted to include one popular band, and one perhaps not as known band (at least in the US), as is the case with this release, everyone seems to benefit.

Philly area band THE WONDER YEARS have been steadily growing their fanbase over the past two years. The group’s infectious style of speedy pop-punk (with occasional keys) is hard to resist, and while they made their mark with goofy, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the band has put on a more straight-face in recent releases. The band’s two songs are a continuation of THE WONDER YEARS’ progress in lyrical development, and smoother songwriting. “Don’t Open The Fridge” is a genuinely funny song about the band’s questionable living conditions, and its coming to terms with simply not needing much. The UK’s ALL OR NOTHING were tour partners with THE WONDER YEARS for a two week trek across the England, and that is the backdrop for their placement on the split. With a sound that’s almost identical to THE WONDER YEARS, even down to the sugary-sweet melodic vocals, the five songs on here feel virtually fused together. ALL OR NOTHING are slight more aggressive, and a few double-bass kicks here and there standout defiantly in the mix. If NEW FOUND GLORY or SET YOUR GOALS tried to work their sound into final-years FACE TO FACE, this might the result.

Notably, the vinyl version of the split has only four songs, while the digital versions include an extra tune from ALL OR NOTHING titled “This Is Very Impossible.” Fortunately, those picking up the vinyl get a download card with access to mp3s of all five songs. Distances isn’t a breakout release for either band, but it’s a tasty nugget for current fans, and it probably has the power to convert a few new ones as well.

No Sleep

www.nosleeprecords.com