When most punks think of acoustic music from the UK, it’s probably a given that Frank Turner is the first artist to come to mind. The genre has definitely gotten much more recognition in recent years, with musicians like Turner and Sam Russo in the UK and Dave Hause in the US, among many others. With some luck, Leeds musician Andrew Cream will soon be getting a little of that recognition as well.
The Andrew Cream/Don Blake split is a short 5-track EP featuring two songs from acoustic folk punk solo artist Andrew Cream and three selections from pop-punk band Don Blake, out of Bolton. The songs from Cream (backed by a full band on the EP) and Don Blake mesh quite well on the EP, with Cream’s blend of folk and punk in the first two tracks flowing easily into Don Blake’s portion.
‘Another Replay’, Cream’s second song, is a favourite of his two on the EP. The violin acts as a very uplifting and unique aspect over a simple chord progression, pulling the track together nicely. Both of Cream’s tracks have a light, summertime feel. They’re the sort of tunes that make me want to kick back on my patio with a beer, listening to records through my open screen door.
Though Cream’s tracks are probably my favourites on the split, Don Blake don’t make a shabby showing at all. They play catchy pop-punk for fans of bands like The Copyrights and Screeching Weasel, their three tracks over with before you know it. They have the final three tracks on the split, but these three songs clock in at just under three minutes total (their first song is only 30 seconds long!). ‘Legacies’ is their strongest here — the chorus is great for a pop punk singalong: “keep moving forward, our legacies will write themselves.” They end the split on a good note with ‘Where Else Would I Want to Be?’ – under a minute, but still fun.
SARAH SCANLON