Lilypad Underground and Raincoated Records are at it again, showcasing four of Rochester’s most interesting indie bands recorded directly to a four-track cassette tape. The result is “Spit Takes and Split Tapes, Vol. II,” an endearing split EP offering two songs each from local bands Chores, Comfy, Bad Bloom and Big Nobody. The opening song, “Milo” from Chores, starts with some tape hiss and band chatter as the bass intro gets counted in and the experience begins. The cassette tape compression hits hard once the entire band jumps in, but it’s part of the experience (which falls somewhere between getting to sit in on a band rehearsal and listening to a bootlegged Bug Jar show). Spit Takes and Split Tapes, Vol. II by Chores Comfy continues with the song “Wasn’t The Same,” which sounds like Wilco if they had a fuzz-pedal fetish, which absolutely suits the cassette sonics perfectly. Not to be outdone, Bad Bloom hits listeners with a wonderfully warbly guitar intro and outro that bookends their perfected post-punk/grunge revival ethos perfectly. Easy to understand why they’ve been on a string of shows opening for the likes of Flatwaves, Fotocrime and Into It. Over It. Spit Takes and Split Tapes, Vol. II by Bad Bloom Big Nobody brings the heat with “Franklin Big Mouth,” which has whammy bar guitar riffs that are reminiscent of The Toadies and full-on harmonized guitar leads that would make Thin Lizzy swoon. Such quality craftsmanship is to be expected from creative polymath bandleader Jacob Walsh, who is also responsible for the entire project’s art design. (Editor’s note: Walsh is CITY’s art director.) To check out the other tracks, including a fantastic cover of Green Day’s “She” by Bad Bloom, which will make you think your tape deck is melting, pre-order physical cassettes on Raincoated Records’ Bandcamp page. The post REVIEW | ‘Spit Takes and Split Tapes, Vol. II’ by Various Artists appeared first on CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.. ...read more read less