Ghost Mice/Defiance, Ohio - split

The acoustic, violin-accompanied folk punk of Ghost Mice hasn't significantly changed since the recent Debt of the Dead, but that only means the band hasn't found a downward spiral. There are four new songs from Hannah (violin, vocals) and Chris (guitar, vocals) about their friendship, their hometown of Bloomington, Indiana, Chris' uncle's career in prison, and life on the road. The duo also includes their version of Woody Guthrie's "Pretty Boy Floyd". Defiance, Ohio plays in a similar vein to that of Ghost Mice, with a "fuller" sound--violin, guitar, drums, upright bass, banjo, and cello. It reminds me of early Against Me!...a little bit, anyway. Definitely an entertaining listen. They also do a nice take on the Gorilla Biscuits' classic "Things We Say" that, well, would probably give Civ a nice laugh. It's rare to find bands in the DIY scene as honest as these two, who are doing their best to keep album prices at five bucks or less and who won't hesitate to play backyards and basements. [www.plan-it-x.com]