Toulouse, France and foosball. Albeit a bit of an odd combination, it sparked a friendship that led to a magnificent split from emo titans Joie De Vivre and Prawn. At first glance they seem like another set of bands along for the wild emo ride, but this split sets them apart. The music is expertly crafted and sonically the best recordings these bands have produced.

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Joie De Vivre enjoys top billing and stays true to what fans have come to expect from them. Every bit as emotional and melodic as their back catalog, these songs bring out the feels. De Vivre perfectly captures the range of emotions most of us find ourselves catapulted through during our later high school and college years. The band starts strong with “Martin Park”, a song referencing a park from their hometown of Rockford, IL. Right away De Vivre makes us swoon with the perfectly articulated line “I can’t remember, how many times I told somebody that I loved them, and didn’t mean it”. They have found a way to channel relationship angst in a manner that is oddly enjoyable. The struggle of maintaining a relationship while separated at college is thrusted upon the listener throughout both “Tenspopet” and “Good Morning Mr. Franklin.” The latter reads like an attempt at post-breakup reconciliation. Complete with an apology, a touch of gratitude, explanation, and a bit of well worded critique, “Good Morning Mr. Franklin” creates a sense of complacency. By the end you genuinely feel that everything’s in it’s right place. Although this release doesn’t break tremendous new ground, Joie De Vivre manages to stay true to what we’ve come to expect; emotionally driven music with the perfect amount of twinkle to allow their music to truly shine.

Prawn follows with an absolutely explosive second half. Bottom line; “Why You Always Leave A Note” is the standout track of this split and arguably Prawn’s best work to date. The boys of Prawn set the bar pretty high with the Arrested Development reference and follow through in glorious fashion. Prawn has become known by their weaving, intricate guitar work and don’t stray from that formula here. Every part of this track works perfectly together and leaves behind 4 minutes and 48 of pure bliss. One of Prawn’s biggest strengths is the union of emo and post-rock they elegantly present. The bridge sections of “Why You Always Leave A Note” would fit nicely on any Explosion in the Sky record, but with a character that makes it uniquely Prawn. “Fracture” slows things down a bit creating a solid groove that leaves you eagerly waiting to see where the band will take you. Half way through, things pick up and really showcase what the band does best; interesting guitar mingling with a well sung vocal. It’s amazing how full and dense they are able to make their arrangements while utilizing such clean guitars.

This split features two up and coming bands in all their twinkly glory. Illinois’ Joie De Vivre and New Jersey’s Prawn have released what is sure to be a contender for split of the year. The bands compliment each other incredibly well and the future is only up for these two power house groups. Don’t sleep on Joie De Vivre and Prawn.

Must Listens: Why You Always Leave A Note, Good Morning Mr. Franklin

Rating: 7/10 

written by Jeremy Kinney