Sinking Ships Safe [7 inch] (2007) self-released

Sinking Ships' Safe 7" is a minimally packaged two-song release acting as leftover change from the sessions for the Ten 7", which was their final offering for Revelation Records. One look at it, though, and you can immediately tell it's self-released; it's a 45 with an oversized spindle hole that requires the insert (not included); there basically is no artwork, it just has band and track names spray-stenciled or whatever; there isn't even a fucking dust sleeve.

Well, luckily, the songs themselves are pretty cool.

The title track and A-side, "Safe" is standard Sinking Ships: an urgent tone and repetitively delivered, simply written phrase to stick in your head delivered by an increasingly snotty sounding Danny Hesketh over pounding chords. It would've fit well on Ten, quality-wise right smack in the middle. On the B-side is a cover of Whiskeytown's "Revenge" -- I know who the band is, granted, but I've never actually heard the original, so I can't compare. However, Sinking Ships have never sounded plain happier; they sound like they're having a fun time with the song, which actually comes off like one of Shook Ones' goofy pop-punk covers. But the mood is a rarity in the band's catalogue, so it's welcome.

Safe is a hard sell for the fairweather fan, but Sinking Ships' loyal followers will surely get a few worthwhile spins out of it.

(Brian)