DIVIDED HEAVEN Share Acoustic Punk Cover of Descendents' "Clean Sheets" with German Singer-songwriter Matze Rossi (A-F Records)

DIVIDED HEAVEN in Baltimore, Maryland (photographer unknown / SOURCE: Facebook)

We're one day away from the official start of summer, so let's kick things off with a cover of one of the greatest Descendents songs ever written. DIVIDED HEAVEN and German singer-songwriter Matze Rossi have just released a stripped down version of "Clean Sheets" that will leave you feeling a bit more tender. Rossi's raspy howl plays wonderfully with DIVIDED HEAVEN founder Jeff Berman's voice as they belt out a song that has become part of the pantheon of Punk music. Said cover really captures the spirit of singing your favorite songs with all of your friends. You know, the moment at a party or a show where everyone knows every word and can't help but sing at the top of their lungs. It's a special kind of moment reserved for a special kind of song and "Clean Sheets" is just that kind of song.

Divided Heaven · Clean Sheets (feat. Matze Rossi)

Just this past Friday, DIVIDED HEAVEN & Matze Rossi's cover of "Clean Sheets" was premeired on chorus.fm. Check out their beautiful cover of "Clean Sheets" now on all of your preferred streaming platforms. "I heard Bill Stevenson say that he wrote "Clean Sheets" in one swoop. It just came to him. About 10 years ago, I was working on a riff that sounded too familiar; took me a moment, but I soon discovered it was "Clean Sheets." The lyrics immediately came to me and it just felt right. My favorite Descendents song, "[Clean] Sheets" beautifully translates to the acoustic guitar. Add a pinch of tenderness and the incredible, incomparable, Matze Rossi, and this classic Punk song resonates in a new beautiful darkness. Much love to Bill for writing it, Stephen [Egerton] for being my favorite guitar player, and to all that give it a listen. Thank you!," Berman writes within a Facebook post.

So, without further ado, listen to their cover of "Clean Sheets" by Descendents. The Clean Sheets digital EP showcases the title track, along with recent singles "Beause You're Young" with Jared Hart, "Tomoe (American Heart,)" "The New Hallelvjah" with Sam Russo (Tear Down The Cockpit Door,) a stirring rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" with Tiny Stills, and a charasmatic cover of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby." It's rounded out by "The White Rose," "Generator," and "Lifers," which were all previosuly released in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. Last year, DIVIDED HEAVEN released their ambitious fourth full-length, fittingly dubbed Oblivion, on A-F Records. The album includes guest appearances and tracks produced by Charlie Stavish (Ryan Adams, Against Me!,) Tim van Doorn, Mike Biancaniello (Kelly Clarkson, Shawn Mendes,) and UK Folk/Punk powerhouse Frank Turner.

It's an eclectic mix of Pop, Folk, and Indie Rock all wrapped in a Punk mindset with soaring production quality. Oblivion is, also, available on all digital platforms and physical copies can be purchased from both A-F Records (US/Canada) and Gunner Records (UK/Europe.) Berman has not made it easy on himself. For the past 12 years, the DIVIDED HEAVEN frontman has tried relentlessly to buck the typical singer-songwriter mold with his unique writing style and career path. The new DIVIDED HEAVEN album, Oblivion, blazes that ambition forward with a bang, a dash of weird, a pinch of S*tanism, and a heavy dose of sex and politics resulting in an unapologetic and provocative DIVIDED HEAVEN album like none before.

Descendents' "Clean Sheets" B/W "Coolidge" 7-inch radio promo single (SOURCE: Discogs)

Either solo or with his full band in tow, DIVIDED HEAVEN is just as comfortable on festival stages at Punk Rock Bowling, SXSW, and The Fest as they are in the seated listening-rooms of Hotel Cafe or The Ramones Museum. Berman and DIVIDED HEAVEN have shared stages with Dave Hause, Matze Rossi, Anti-Flag, Ryoko, Spanish Love Songs, Slingshot Dakota, Jared Hart, The Flatliners, Sundowner, Tiny Stills, and many more. Berman has previously played in Philadelphia Street Punk/Oi! band The Boils, New Jersey Hardcore band The Rites, Washington, DC band V.P.R., and Lancaster, Pennsylvania Rock "N" Roll band The Statiks. DIVIDED HEAVEN's Clean Sheets EP is now available on streaming services through A-F Records.

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