Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation will be releasing this split single on banana yellow vinyl. I think it’s very important that you know this fact; and you will doubtless be pleased to know that the noise gracing this aesthetic marvel is suitably, quirkily cheering.

Both bands are of the indie pop style, and both have a good line in contrasting male/female vocal lines. They’re also both rather good at sticking in your head, so it’s not surprising to learn that they share band members and operate an inter-band idea exchange. The Scarlet Tuesday are the sweeter of the two, with clear-cut vocals and a quite fantastic penny-whistle-esque melody which would be twee if it weren’t so clearly right. We* also particularly like the jangling effects which sound like a glockenspiel crossed with a harp, the twinning of such kick-ass drums with such delightful melodies and the fact that something so charming can induce so wild an urge to dance.

Balor Knights jump around a lot more, and favour the full-on-indie approach, interspersing the jangling guitar bursts with somewhat incongruous interludes, indicative of too many ideas and too few songs in the world. These interludes include: surreally choir-like vocals in the chorus; trumpets; random vocal warblings as the guitars veer into distortion; and a veritable cascade of vocal harmonies before the whole thing ends with that surreal choirgirl effect again, implying that the record has suddenly achieved enlightenment and gone to sit on God’s right hand for all eternity.

Which might get a bit crowded, not to mention being nothing like as much fun as this pick’n’mix pop platter pair. Still, I guess it worked for Jesus.

*I speak for all of us, including You-The-Reader. I am the Hive Voice. Accept this.