Review
Wolverines / The Sibling Project
Split

Independent (2006) Tohm

Wolverines / The Sibling Project – Split cover artwork
Wolverines / The Sibling Project – Split — Independent, 2006

Wolverines, you ponder. Wolverines remind you of X-Men - of retractable claws - of deep, absonant snarls. "But what about siblings?" you ask yourself. Siblings bring to mind petty arguments, worthless rivalries, and sharing menial house chores. You rack your mind for any comprehensible link between a carnivorous mammal of the North and your sister.

"Ay, there's the connection!" you cheer after happening upon the press sheet. Wolverines and The Sibling Project are both indigenous to Raleigh, North Carolina. The two bands consist of four members collectively, three of whom live together. All comparisons, however, end there.

Busy. Wolverines are busy in every sense of the word; the guitar is strummed fast, the drums beaten relentlessly. Think of traditional screamo, but less distorted. Victor, the guitarist, only hits his distortion pedal a few times throughout the five songs. Both Brandon, the drummer, and Victor bark the vocals, juxtaposing the clean, yet jangly guitar tone. If you're into the build-up/climax formula, give these gents a listen.

Bubbly. The Sibling Project is a group that utilizes drum machine, keyboard, harmonized vocals and acoustic guitar to produce five tracks of indie-pop. If the name doesn't give it away, Lindsey and Danny are in fact siblings. They'd be much better off without the techno-esque beats; their voices and the guitar blend very well. Drum machines have an extraordinary potential for creativity, however, these siblings don't seem to have mastered their abilities; it makes the songs too poppy and borderline annoying.

There are virtually no palpable comparisons between the two groups. In this mile-run of a split release, Wolverines arrive at the finish line minutes ahead of their cohorts The Sibling Project. After the race, Wolverines are still energetic and screaming, while the Siblings limp off the track.

5.0 / 10Tohm • March 29, 2007

Wolverines / The Sibling Project – Split cover artwork
Wolverines / The Sibling Project – Split — Independent, 2006

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