Shitbirds/Simon & the Bar Sinisters Split 7" (1994)

The Shitbirds. Yeah, that name doesn't give off the best connotation. Seriously, why do bands think its a good idea to name their bands after variety of words that mean shit? I mean, if they really suck, it's WAY too easy to make fun of them. I mean seriously, if you name your band after shit in anyway, you better have the fucking tunes to back it up or your band is fucked. Luckily, the Shitbirds have enough in them to make them not live up to their name. Absent of any vocals, the short songs pack a few punches. "Kickback 1812" had me skeptical at the beginning, but those guitar licks during the chorus and the drums won me over. "Canadian Carwash" is up next. Seriously, how high were these guys when they picked out that title? Good new is the track is pretty cool and has good riffs. These dudes made a good choice by not putting vocals over this stuff. Judging by the titles and the band name, these guys probably aren't that great with words, so they just stuck to what they know. Good call dudes, good call.

Simon & the Bar Sinisters made a good call too. Vocal-less, it's easier to get lost in their surf/blues/psychedelic riffs. Their songs let you make up your own lyrics, which is why I think this band is better. While I think the Shitbirds are cool, this band just sounds cooler. They both have borderline dumb song titles, but Simon & the Bar Sinisters have the tunes and the better band name. These tracks should be on the A-side, because they have more to them.

For under ten minutes, this split is pretty cool and worth a listen. Obscure bands are always a mixed bag, but these bands pull it off for the most part. Check it out.

Lowndoad it!

- Jordan Canio