ANIMAL FLAG & PLAINVIEW: THINGS THAT KEEP US UP AT NIGHT

LABEL | INDIE (BANDCAMP)
GENRE | TWO-FOR-ONE ROCK SPECIAL

Take a cue from the new Boston/Philly four-track set from Animal Flag and Plainview: this is how you do a split release. In just over 15 minutes, each band delivers a potent taste of their considerable range of talents. Animal Flag take the lead, beginning with “Grown,” as bright waves of guitar wash over Matthew Politoski’s earnest vocals. But the muscular sound and upbeat vibe doesn’t linger for long. “When the Victim is Played” is a beautifully stripped down acoustic cut, creating a gorgeous backdrop to soften the sting in Politoski’s words (“Recruit your friends, get them on your side/Ignore the facts of the wrong or right/Because real friends will just oblige and follow blindly.”) Plainview balance out the mini-EP with two strong showings of their own: a fuzzy slice of garage rock in “2238” and the achingly beautiful closer “Seasons.”