The Sensitive Lips / Weekend Fan! split 7″
This split of fun power pop from Japan takes me back to the early days of MTV with guitar-forward, uptempo earnestness. WEEKEND FAN! kicks off the party with “I’m a Failure,” which reminds me of the JAM or FALL OUT BOY with a bouncy rock feel, yet with a foot still firmly in the garage. On the B-side, SENSITIVE LIPS blow the doors off with a ripper, “Nervous,” that outpaces the other song in tempo but matches it with listenable bubblegum sweetness. Much more pop punk than pop, “Nervous” actually has a more new wave quality like early ADAM AND THE ANTS. Think “Dirk Wears White Sox,” but faster. Both songs share harmonized “oohs” in their bridges and guitar solos that have an edge but not too much bite. Each band turns in a tight performance, and the recording is clean as the parachute pants your mom just bought you.