Split Lip: 90s Emo UNDER THE RADAR!

 Good evening all my friends and whoever else this may find!

It's been a minute, probably like a month since I have written anything for this. Unfortunately I have been on a kick of The Smiths, cLOUDDEAD, and whatever else. I actually have been listening to some cool stuff! I just haven't had the passion or the intrigue to really write. I had an album I wanted to write about, but upon multiple listens to nail it in my head... I found myself annoyed by it. That's ok! It doesn't water down it's merit. Music rocks.

The comp...

Aside from that, I've also just been living life, and being out slightly more often than usual. It's hard to find balance sometimes. BUT! Within this time, I went to a thrift store back home, that I will forever praise for the absolutely insane CDs they have there. When I was there this time, I didn't really find anything, any known titles... but I did come across one CD! Split Lip's compilation "Archived Music for Stubborn People". That is what this post is about! Split-Lip, a band perhaps better known as Chamberlain (post-name change). I was shocked at the music I had heard, a striking surprise similar to 90s emo acts like Still Life (a personal favorite, God I love that band), Policy of 3, and maybe Current? Basically an emo amalgamation with strong 2-steppy hardcore influence. 

Oh, and apparently they were straight edge. I know that gets some people excited.  

It won't let me make this image smaller. 

Anyways, Split-Lip formed in 1990 in Indianapolis, IN, with a short lifespan (with the name Split-Lip at least) of five years.  They released 2 albums and 3 singles before their name-change departure. Now, I will say I can NOT speak on these, I have heard the compilation I purchased and that was it. Allegedly, they were a band that influenced later acts, as there was a 2021 tribute album featuring folks from Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, and Dashboard confessional. Oh, and a Brooklyn Vegan post claims The Get Up Kids was also influenced by them? Ok, Awesome. 

Unfortunately, with bands dating back this early, my research is hindered! Despite their reunions of the past decade or two, it has been difficult to find flyers, coherent live footage, interviews, etc. So, apologies for the shorter-form. From what i've gathered, I can't really find many hardcore/emo acts out of Indianapolis. Maybe that's why it seemed under the radar to me.

This afformentioned compilation contains tracks from their first 7'", which have more of that Husker Du and early hardcore influence, a compilation track, covers, unreleased songs, and then some live tracks. 

The covers gave me a giggle. The cover of "Unity" by Operation Ivy stuck out as I didn't know it was a cover (omg such a poser whatever). Unity! Stop this waaarrrrr. Nothing much else to say for these, it's fun.

The live songs are what really got me. "For the Love" really emphasizes the vocalists angst-y vocals that work so seamlessly over the instrumentals, its shocking its a live track! I can definitely imagine a fun crowd amongst their apparent performance I hear here. 

The final, untitled track is really the cherry on top, a standard hard-hitter of an emo song, followed by a hidden track(?) that is a bit more poppy than the rest of the compilation. It's like a sigh of relief, after 30-something minutes of non-stop fun. 

I really wish I had more to say, but go listen! It's a great time.

BONUS: Upon writing this I became (as usual) more fascinated by the label releases. Doghouse records put out an overwhelming amount of The All-American Rejects releases, as well as Say Anything. Really funny. Like, 75% is All-American Rejects. Thought that was silly.

This genuinely isn't even half of it.

 

ANYWAYS! Sorry for the brief post. I wish I had more to say, and I even already said that. Thanks for reading! I considered making a youtube video talking about it, to see what format I enjoy... and also exposure therapy.

 Until next time!

-IONA