Stream/Download: Milkshakes - Wisdom Teeth/Milkshakes Split (2012)

Last week, the Connecticut indie/emo band Milkshakes debuted their half of an upcoming split Alabama’s Wisdom Teeth for free download on bandcamp. This three-song split marks the first official release from the Glastonbury-based group after a promising, if unremarkable, single-song demo release last year.

I have to say, I’m impressed. With only three songs, the Wisdom Teeth/Milkshakes split is by no means an earth-shattering release, but it’s a remarkably solid and well recorded collection of tracks for such a relatively young band. In particular, the updated version of “Kalabar’s Revenge,” the track that they released as a demo last year, stands out as a basement-ready punk anthem just waiting to be heard. On each of the three tracks, the guitars cut through the mix with just enough grit and slop, and the drums pack a tangible punch. At just over two minutes each, all three tracks follow the same formula, but they go by quickly enough that it doesn’t get tiresome. My favorite is easily the last track “Joeys Fitness,” on which the group slows things down just enough at the beginning to provide a buildup for the eventual release that comes with the chorus.

The lyrics on these songs are typical emo fare, but vocalist Tim Diltz sells them with just the right mix of aggression and melodic sensibility. Diltz has the rare ability to sing and shout in equal measure, and he exercises both talents at length on these three tracks. His vocals, and the surprisingly tuneful melodies that he crafts with them, are definitely the highlight of this release for me, and they make me look forward to shouting along with him at summer shows. 

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Stream Milkshakes’ half of the Wisdom Teeth/Milkshakes Split above, and download it for free from their bandcamp page.