Carl Lewis: Track and Field are the coming together of three separate entities, yet somewhat removed from what each member are doing in their other projects.
With this EP the trio swap instruments around to create a folk band with punk roots, whilst elsewhere Damon is the pioneer behind the lo-fi Stand Alone Complex, Rob sings and plays guitar in zombie loving punk band the SLM whilst Ned provides drums for the more established blues/rock of Mr Mountain.
Having formed Carl Lewis a couple of years ago I’ve yet to see the three members in this incarnation live, so with a knowledge of their regular work I was intrigued to hear what was on offer when the “Whoever Wins, We All Lose” EP arrived in my inbox and needless to say, given the diversity of their main bands, I was unsure what to expect.
The regular swapping of instruments could have proved chaotic, however this EP on a whole comes together as clearly the same group rather than those times when a band may have guest vocalist disturbing any sort of continuity. There’s a similarity between opening track “Diggin’ Out my Grave” and “Monody is a Metaphor” with Rob singing both, whilst being separated by the hillbilly intro of “Look no Hands” which then breaks into something that would appeal to lovers of the indie-folk trendiness of Fleet Foxes.
Damon then takes up lead vocals/guitar for probably my favourite tune in the singalong of “Steve Buscemi” and its thigh slapping country vibes with Ned then bringing back the indie-folk on the slowed down “Smile for Democracy” showing that Carl Lewis: Track and Field having recently supported fellow folk-punk band Andrew Jackson Jihad could in fact play to a number of audiences.
Things could naturally have come to a close at this point, however there’s one more tune in “The Awkward Ballad of Lena Jodo” which having been inspired by the antics of the SLM drummer is a step away from the rest of the EP and more in keeping with Rob’s cartoon zombie loving band, so whilst the last song is a little out of place, overall “Whoever Wins, We All Lose” deserves to be winning medals just like the athlete the band have bizarrely named themselves after.
https://carllewistrackandfield.bandcamp.com/releases
