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Torche / Part Chimp - Split

Recommended by us on 7th December 2011

Split by Torche / Part Chimp

5...according to our on Wed 07 Dec, 2011.

Always happy to hear a new Part Chimp side. This one is slightly soured by the news of the group's impending split but hey, what can you do...they've had a fucking good run. This one's a split with SXSW buddies Torche who hit us up with not one - but three (!) GBV covers. Noise champs Part Chimp kick things off in their usual no-frills, riff-o-rama style hitting us with two deep cuts - the latter 'The Watcher' hitting on swampy Harvey Milk territory, sounding suitably epic as a result. They always been known to deliver on sludge and volume and it'll be sad to see the lads hang up those Top Twenty guitars and put the Orange amps into cold storage. A single tear of sadness drips from my eye like Mr. T when he sees a kid doing drugs or skipping school. Flip it and Torche impress with their open love letter to Dayton, Ohio's finest indie slackers with three meaty covers from the golden era of GBV's career. They pummel the originals into the ground respectfully. 'Postal Blowfish' in particular sounding fucking blinding. Great split.

Five years ago, during SXSW, Chunklet put on a 20 band bill in two parking lots in north Austin. Two bands met and became immediate fans of each other. Torche, who were still a brand new band and at SXSW at Chunklet's request, and Part Chimp, the noise titans from London who were touring the States for the second time. And well, on that steamy tarmac, a love affair was born.

Almost immediately thereafter, we all started discussing a split release featuring the two bands, and sadly, it takes the pending dissolution of Part Chimp at the end of this year to make it happen. Yes, this is the final Part Chimp release here in the States and the penultimate worldwide.

Part Chimp turn in two scorchers, Dr. Horse and The Watcher while Torche send a love letter to the boys from Dayton and cover three Guided By Voices songs (Exit Flagger, Unleashed! The Large Hearted Boy and Postal Blowfish).

This, Chunklet's 9th 12" release, will be available only during the band's tour up the East Coast in November and here for a limited time. Edition of 500.

Some details:

- It will ship the same week as the Torche/Part Chimp tour.

- The cover artwork (featuring Gorillas and Yeti's fighting in a future we'll hopefully never witness) was done by the world-renowned sci-fi illustrator Trevor Claxton.

- The type was hand drawn by Nolen Strals from Post-Typography and Double Dagger.

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