Major Stars / Bardo Pond

So when bands of such varied yet similar origins as Major Stars and Bardo Pond both surprisingly agreed to doing a few shows with me (or in the case of Bardo, just two), I thought I’d go for the brass ring and have the two bands do a split single. Consider it a personal souvenir of a previously unimaginable rock vacation. Bardo Pond tend to be feverishly recording so I knew that wouldn’t be a problem. When they turned in their track “This Inner Light,” I wasn’t expecting anything other than 100-percent Bardo Pond. And right as rain, they delivered. Like the goddamned pizza delivery guy. Major Stars, on the other hand, appear to be quite reclusive, but I knew that Wayne Rogers wouldn’t be afraid of recording one of their furious sessions and lo and behold, they turned in the stone cold jam “S.L.T.” Recorded on Wayne’s four-track, it’s 100-percent Major Stars—a six piece that doesn’t quite spare a free second in their hyper guitar histrionics. — Henry Owings, Chunklet