Self Titled Record
Heartattack # 18 (Goleta, CA)
Four songs of fast paced post hardcore. There is a sharp high
end guitar that grinds against the bouncy bass. The drumming is adequate,
getting the timekeeper's job done. The vocals are unneccessary, making
the instrumental track on side one the most enjoyable listen. (SJS)
Rocktober # 21 (Chicago, IL)
A challenge to conquer.
Slug & Lettuce # 54 (Richmond, VA)
This is really emo with a predominantly melodic style that is mixed
with discordant high pitched grating notes. It's got a kinda funky
style, with mostly clean played instruments that have pinch the nerve a
bit. A bit of old DC sound. This is the kind of emo stuff I
don't get into.
Spank Fanzine #24 (Des Moines, IA)
S/T Stars of the Santa Cruz Sucks compilation, the Great Divide
show up with good power guitar interplay on this 7". The jaggedness
of "Skiptown" and "Ride" is a little like Unwound; the instrumental "Bright
Lights" is a bit more anxious with flourishing guitar change ups.
It's just cool to sit and listen to these guitars pull at each other. (DD)
Properly Polarized and Grounded Outlet
Skyscraper #4 (Boulder, Colorado)
Driving jangly guitars with mildly screamed vocals and lots of different
tempos worked within the same songs. A Great Divide play a style
that reminds me of a lot of others but no one all too much. Bands
like Nuzzle, Constantine Sankathi, Modest Mouse, Harriet the Spy and Great
Unraveling all pop up. It's a hard sound to describe. A style
influenced sound with slight traces of chaotic hardcore but turned more
towards a quirky discordant tune. Frantic, angsty moments that then turn
to a somber, instrumental tune. Aggressive and melodic with lots
of builds. Music that explodes with energy then lies on the floor
exhausted, regaining strenght, then bursts out again. They've even
worked in some horns. I know that so far in this review I haven't
come close to elaborating my real feelings for A Great Divide. I'm
just not able to pin their sound down (which is a good thing) and I've
been searching for a way to express them. No dice. I can
say this: they're good. (AB)
Heartattack #21 (Goleta, CA)
A.K.A The Great Divide. Hardcore sort of in the vein of native
Nod or Nuzzle. Most of the time it is pretty mellow, with an occasional
part that starts to rock out. Emotional lyrics that repeat lines
and probably don't have too much meaning. A very listenable record
without any in-your-face-ness, just nice music. I just saw them play
with the Sunday Instrument and Yaphet Kotto, and they fit in nicely.
RG
MaximumRockNRoll #189 Feb. 1999 (San Francisco, CA)
From the Column "The Sound of weeping... Continues) by Tom Hopkins
Those of you who might like a more compact, tight, clean sounding UNIVERSAL
ORDER OF AMAGEDDON would be wise to try out the A GREAT DIVIDE EP.
Spat, slightly manic vocals over repeating guitar and really solid drumming.
One song has a nice slowdown with a trumpet. Not a strumpet
Spank Fanzine #26 (Des Moines, IA)
Searing, expandable emo tunes that boast a platterful of baggage -
not lyrical overload but the synopses played out by the music itself.
Lots of heavy-handed, mathematical - yet still rhythmic - technique that
flourished, then freefalls, climbs high again (grab a foothold only long
enough to steady themselves) before exploding and changing it all up again.
(DD/MD)