Alkaline Trio/One Man Army - BYO Split Series Volume Five

Alkaline Trio/One Man Army
BYO Split Series Volume Five
BYO Records
Grade: A-

This is the latest addition to the BYO Split Series, this one Volume Five, and clearly one of the best thanks in large part to Alkaline Trio. While the Rancid/NOFX rocked in its ingenuity and the inaugural affair of Leatherface/Hot Water Music is classic, the six songs provided by Alkaline Trio are all winners. For the Alkaline Trio/Hot Water Music split on Jade Tree, Alkaline Trio made a bold statement as who rocked harder. Okay, I'm a bit biased in this regard, because there is another band on this split, BYO's own punk outfit One Man Army. In further regard to Alkaline Trio, they have reached the status of other bands trying to steal their thunder by mimicking their sound (umm, Bayside). You might think that the band may take it easy on this split after their most recent acclaimed record Good Mourning. Yet, this is not the case as all six songs sizzle and rock, along with some acoustic molesting on "If You Had A Bad Time…". In fact, as a set I would place these six above the material on Good Mourning. And the other band? Well, most people are sufficiently less familiar with the San Francisco based trio of One Man Army. Although they shouldn't be since OMA has been kicking around since 1996 and have scores of releases across a number of labels including Fat Wreck. As consistent with their members, OMA follow an allegiance to melodic 70s punk rock but they are not a throwback. Like Alkaline Trio I find the six songs here to be an upgrade on their latest material, the full-length Rumors and Headlines on BYO. The band enjoys proliferating their multi-influence foundation as is demonstrated on their first three songs: the straight 70s punk "The T.V. Song," the dirty "The Hemophiliac" and the almost 50s be-bob foundation of "All the Way." Would I buy this split EP? Does the Pope shit in the woods? Seriously, no Alkaline Trio fan should find themselves without this split.