Joey Cape / Tony Sly – Acoustic

This split CD, appropriately named Acoustic, features two of Fat Wreck Chords‘ top frontmen. Joey Cape of Lagwagon, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, and Bad Astronaut along with No Use For A Name‘s Tony Sly. If you don’t know these names already, then you are missing some of the best punk rock music around. Both men took 5 of their band’s top songs and striped them down to the basics: acoustic. Then they each wrote one brand new song specifically for the split making the album of the best acoustic albums around.

Each song on the split is great. There really isn’t one song that pulls it down in anyway. Tony Sly‘s Stunt Double (the new track) and Justified Black Eye (from the 1994 release, Leche Con Carne!)are majestic, they are perfect acoustic songs. The melodies are slow and moving while the vocals are soothing and captivating, making for one hell of a song. Joey Cape‘s rendition of Wind In Your Sail (from the 2002 release, Let’s Talk About Leftovers) takes the title of top song mainly because of the lyrics. The guitar riffs are some of the best on the album and work great with the vocals and backup vocals too. Lyrics like “Cause I’m right here / to witness every step / and when you trip / I will cherish it/ … I live to watch you fail” just do something for me when they are sung so softly and melodically.

With the surge of screamo and hard-core bands lately, its great to finally be able to sit down and listen to a slow, melodic, album. And when its with two of punk’s top musicians, its even better.