Single Review by Mark Bayross
Split singles are usually the kind of thing strapped-for-cash indie bands release when they are trying to get off the ground. With sales of their critically-acclaimed second album WHEN DO WE START FIGHTING… already exceeding 20,000, Seafood are hardly a band who could be described as struggling.
Nevertheless, despite a seemingly constant presence on the live circuit in the UK and US, the band have yet to really have that breakthrough single (although CLOAKING came close). Whether this four-track single, split with Seafood’s recent support act Jetplane Landing, is the medium to help achieve that is open to question.
The first of Seafood’s contributions here, PLEASUREHEAD, one of the highlights of WHEN DO WE START FIGHTING…, is a melodic gem of a song and really deserves a stand-alone single release, while their live version of oldie GUN TRIP (from their first album) is impressively frenetic and tight.
Jetplane Landing’s two tracks are less distinctive, but both the noisy, screamed lead track WHAT THE ARGUMENT HAS CHANGED and upbeat, jangly SUMMER ENDS have an attention-grabbing quality of their own.
A bit unorthodox for a single, but it makes for a superb package and is worth three quid of anyone’s money.
