Rocketship / Trace - Split Ep

  by Chris Jones

published: 17 / 9 / 2004

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This split release features two CD EPs, one by indiepop faves Rocketship and the other by Sacramento indie collective Trace.  Both of these bands have been making music for nearly a decade now, though over the years they have become more and more reclusive.  Fortunately, that doesn't stop them from recording music. The Rocketship CD is a 5-tracker that shows frontman Dustin Reske in fine form.  The songs contain that 60's pop meets My Bloody Valentine sound that made their 1994 debut CD 'A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness' such a great album, but also incorporate more electronic elements that some of the later Rocketship material featured.  'The Quad' starts things off with strings and horns that are reminiscent of Jorg Fullert (Wunder / Weschel Garland).  As the vocals come in, the music gets chopped up and stutters along for a bit before the strings come swooping in again.  Very nice.  This is followed by the dreamy 'James, That's All Over Now.'  The female vocals and overall tone of the song give this one a very Broadcast-esque quality.  It's all gentle keyboards and floating horns.  Then it's time for the guitars to get a workout on 'You'll Regret It Someday.' This is the fuzzed out, loud side of Rocketship and it sounds just as good now as it did in 1994!  'Never Going to Let You Go' is pure Rocketship dreamy, bliss ala 'Heather, Tell Me Why' with some electronic manipulation.  'Postwork Come-down' finishes things up nicely on a mellow electronic note.  After hearing these 5 songs, I hope we hear more from Rocketship soon! The Trace CD brings us 7 tracks from this Sacramento group that includes Tim Jacobson from the Electro Group.  While the guitars are a bit fuzzed out, Trace doesn't follow the same noise pop / shoegazer sound that the Electro Group have become known for over the years.  Things are a bit more simple and pop-rock like overall and the fuzzy guitars are joined by analog synths that sound like they may have been borrowed from Dustin Reske.  In fact 'Say It Was All True' has a fair bit of a Rocketship quality to it and is probably my favourite.  The vocals on 'I Want Less' had me thinking I was listening to a dreamier Butterglory song. 'You Should Know It' and 'Hall of Doom' have a swirling, rev'ed up tone with guitars and synths in full effect and more of that Rocketship quality to them. Things come to an end with 'Do Loops' which features some down stroke only guitar playing and vocals inspired by computer programming.  Overall, this is nice split release and I like the idea of having two CD EPs in one package.  The Rocketship CD will satisfy anyone who's been craving more from Dustin Reske - and then it will make you crave more from Dustin Reske.  It will also probably be why many people buy this CD and in that way it will serve to introduce Trace to a wider audience than just those in Sacramento.  It's a win-win situation !

Track Listing:-

1 Rocketship- The Quad
2 Rocketship- James, That's All Over Now
3 Rocketship- You'll Regret It Someday
4 Rocketship- Never Going To Let You
5 Rocketship- Post-Work Comedown
6 Trace- Annuals
7 Trace- Poles & Mountains
8 Trace- Say It All Was True
9 Trace- I Want Less
10 Trace- You Should Know It
11 Trace- Hall Of Doom
12 Trace- Do Loops

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