Bridging Oceans four-way split features four punk bands from four different countries, each band Nerdlinger (Australia), Down Memory Lane (Canada), Bare Teeth (France), and SHAMES (Japan) offering up three new tracks each for the compilation.
Pressing:
500 x Digipak CDs
REVIEWS:
Kraykulla Webzine (Croatia)
V/A – Bridging Oceans Split
This record is audible proof that there are no boundaries between diy hardcore punk scenes in all of the world and all of the continents as this one features 4 bands from 4 different continents.
There are 3 songs from each band on this record. Bare Teeth from France are our well known band because we already featured them on the pages of this zine, so I knew what to expect from them, being energetic and technical fast melodic hardcore punk with Storytellers being my favorite from their side of the record.
Down Memory Lane are Canadian veterans being formed in 1994., disbanded and reformed back in 2017. to release new music and full length this year, first after 15 years! I was pleasantly surprised by their music, with very melodic and fast punkrock without too much philosophy with nice catchy, almost sad melodies and backing vocal harmonies from heaven! My favorite song from their side: Unknown Veterans.
Australian heroes Nerdlinger were also featured already on our pages, so we are not a stranger to their fast, massive party melodic hardcore mixed with reggae ska parts in some songs, which always brings back a smile to my face. Dual vocals, great melodies, energetic music that makes you moving just fit for a nice Sunday while I am writing this feature. Favorite song: Baseballs.
SHAMES were unknown to me prior to this record, but it is an awesome melodic hardcore punk band in the vein of the 90’s California bands, meaning speed, melody, at times melancholic guitar lines, great vocals and backing vocals and anthemic choruses. Their music is so good that I listened to their songs for couple of times in a row. Favorite song: Break The Parasite.
Awesome idea, awesome bands, awesome record!
Rating: 9/10
GBHBL (Brazil)
V/A – Bridging Oceans Split
I love the idea of this release. An absolutely killer idea, showcasing modern punk across four continents. Beginning in Europe, France to be specific with Bare Teeth’s three-track offering. What we have are punchy and upbeat tracks with all the intensity of early-Offspring but less Californian sunshine. Running Wild is a hyper start, the short solo is effective before Death Note gives us harsher hardcore-lite vocals and gang-shouts. Love this track.
They wrap up their efforts with Story Tellers, a frantic rhythm offset by the straight-forward vocals and a guitar twang that is proper pleasing.
The Canadians, Down Memory Lane come next and the difference between them and Bare teeth is startling. Less punk, more pop-punk. However, that’s not a criticism unless you dislike pop-punk. Personally, if it’s done well, I love it and Down Memory Lane do it well.
Vices and Unknown Veterans are so bouncy, the latter having a little more pace to it but both are foot-tappers. While The Tyler Durden Way is super-catchy and the harmonising vocals mixed with some great guitar work makes this their best offering.
It’s off to the land down under for Aussie punkers Nerdlinger, a rawer and more intense set of tracks. With a little bit of early Blink 182 about it, Baseballs kills it with an honest sounding fast punk tune. Pack It to the Top is very different by contrast, more reminiscent of ska punkers Less Than Jake. It’s bloody brilliant though, probably the catchiest and best track on the entire album. Finally its Videotapes that ends Nerdlinger’s excellent efforts, a moodier but expectational finish.
Our round trip makes its final stop in Japan. A country where you might not expect to find punk but Shames certainly change that. Frantic and energetic, Best Place can stand proudly amongst the best of what this album has to offer. The chorus alone is solid gold.
Break the Parasite keeps the blood pumping and here the band show off some immense guitar skills, even throwing in a solo.
Their final effort and the last track on the album is Miles Away. One last tap your foot, shake your leg, bang your head…whatever it is, it will happen even if you don’t mean too. That’s how catchy and feel-good this last track is.
Not just the track, but the whole album. 4 bands, 12 tracks, 3 each…it could have been a mess but it’s not. Instead it’s downright excellent.
Review by: Carl Fisher
Rating: 9/10
Underground Press (South Africa)
V/A – Bridging Oceans Split
Grab your skateboards and black nail polish because Bare Teeth, Down Memory Lane, Nerdlinger, and SHAMES are taking us back in time with the four-way-split punk album ‘Bridging Oceans’.
The first thing you’ll notice about French outfit Bare Teeth is their combination of high-energy metal drumming and pop-punk riffs, particularly in Running Wild. This relentless high-energy track creeps into your muscles and before you know it you leg’s tapping and you’re compulsively flicking a fringe out of your face.
Next on the bill are Down Memory Lane, a Canadian band with a penchant for punchy, no-nonsense punk-rock. Their contribution peaks with The Tyler Durden Way, one round knockout delivered by snare drums as strong as a Brad Pitt punch.
Hailing from down-under is Nerdlinger, whose diverse display lifts off with the aggressive Baseballs before heading to groove-ville with a quintessential road-trip song called Pack it to The Top, before touching down with the pure-pop-punk-self-indulgence of Videotapes which has enough angst for all those who still live and breathe early 2000s punk.
It’s difficult for bands to find that level of synchronicity where everything flows with ease unless you’re talking about Japanese band SHAMES. Their three tracks glide by like seals in the ocean making their frenetic, high-energy punk rock flow into the ears with the effortlessness of smooth jazz.
This multi-national gig-in-a-pocket hits the nostalgia bone with enough individuality to keep the bands from being branded as novelty acts.
Thoughts Words Action
V/A – Bridging Oceans Split
Split releases are such a great way to stay connected with some fellow musicians, make new connections or reach out some quality labels, so this fine split release is all about that. It’s an awesome opportunity to listen to some great bands, get to know everything about the rest of the catalogue of the labels who participated in publishing of this split release and support DIY scene in some sort of a way. Bridging Oceans is a split release between Bare Teeth from France, Down Memory Lane from Canada, Nerdlinger from Australia and Shames from Japan, plus it’s published by various labels such as Thousand Islands (North America), Disconnect Disconnect Records (UK), Pee Records (Australia) and Attractive Records (Japan), so this split release is covered all across the globe and there’s no chance you can miss it. So let’s talk about the music a little bit. These band are unified under the flag of skatepunk genre, but there’s a lot of things going on and each band is slightly different than other. Bare Teeth are opening this fine CD and their style can be described as a fast melodic punk rock with a lot of technicalities presented on all the instruments involved, but especially hearable at guitar riffs. Their ideas are phenomenal and everything is supported with ripping basslines and amazing drumming, plus I simply dig their singalongs which are presented more as yelling parts than melodic singing which gives some hardcore punk note to this band. Down Memory Lane are up next and their style is more pop punk oriented melodic punk rock, but with perfect dose of it not to spoil the listening experience. This band have the perfect tempo for their faster tracks, so the guitars can easily play their parts of the songs and each riff is suprisingly hearable which can’t be said for a lot of skatepunk bands nowadays. Also, I simply dig the production where each instrument is hearable separately, but on the other hand all the instruments are unified in one perfect sonic composition. That chunky chunk bass tone is divine and it’s really giving some quality kick to Down Memory Lane’s sound. It’s important to mention some presence of double bass drum here and there, but it’s not spoiling the tracks at all. In matter of fact it properly fits to their music. Perhaps their music is comparable to something Pulley would eventually play, but even better. Nerdlinger are jumping up next with a blast and vocals instantly reminded me of Less Than Jake, but with much more distortion in vocal cords involved. Music is quite contrary far away from ska punk and it’s more melodic skate punk with hardcore punk attitude and some metal progressions implemented here and there. Nerdlinger know how to separate their arrangements in raw and fast aggressive verses and all of a sudden they will transform their music into some emotionally charged melodic punk rock which is mostly hearable in choruses. Their music is constantly slowing down from track to track and it’s almost like a perfect overture for a last, but not least participants of this split release. Shames are playing that classic melodic skate punk music oftenly played by the punk rock bands at the beginning of the millenium. Their music possess all the elements of punk rock, which most newer bands need to implement in their music. Guitar riffs are giving more than a perfect dose of melody while the other guitar is filling it with some metal progressions, but once again in right doses not to spoil the song structures. Rhythm section is nailing it in the background and it gives a proper energy to the overall listening experience. Bridging Oceans CD deserves your attention, so don’t miss the chance to grab this great CD release and support the work of some amazing bands and labels who made this split release available to the wider audience. Check out the websites or bandcamp pages of the labels involved in the publishing and treat your ears with some great skatepunk music.
RELEASE DATE:
26 April 2019
Also Available From:
CREDITS:
CAT #: PCD074
Mastered by: Daniel Antix @ Def Wolf Studios
Artwork by: Pete Pee
