Even when releasing what could be dismissed as B-material, these three Philadelphia rock bands know how to create some fun and catchy tunes.
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Under the Lame-O Records banner, Philadelphia’s holy trinity of awesome DIY indie-alt-pop-emo-punk rock tunes with big fun hooks – aka Modern Baseball, The Superweaks, and Thin Lips – will grace the UK (including The 1865 in Southampton) with their presence in February. To warm up, a collective EP with no affiliation to the M. Night Shyamalan film of the same name acts as the definition of a great entry point for new listeners and a fun addition to the bands’ respective discographies for existing fans.
Thin Lips commence proceedings with ‘Not Losing Sleep,’ a guitar lick-laden zippy track which opens in fun fashion by showcasing the band’s instrumental vitality and energy. Modern Baseball’s approach (‘This Song Is Gonna Buy Brendan Lukens A New Pair Of Socks’) then takes a more indie/math turn away from the band’s usual sound, resulting in something more akin to Slaughter Beach, Dog, the other band of singer/guitarist Jake Ewald. Nonetheless, despite being a little slower and less energetic and exciting compared to what the band has done before, it is typically catchy. To close, The Superweaks deliver ‘No Sorrow,’ a track that wouldn’t have felt misplaced on their recent stellar album Better Heavens with huge riffs, powerful alt rock/pop fusion beats and hooks with a melancholic undertow. With one hell of a chorus and a lot of heart, The Superweaks close the EP in style.
An overall incredibly brisk listen, clocking in at a total of eight and half minutes for the three tracks combined, Split 7″ may be a little lax in execution, but regardless these are three fun and catchy songs from three of the blossoming North American rock scene’s best and most exciting bands.
Split 7″ is out now via Big Scary Monsters
