Highlites' tidy 7", Thanks for Coming Out, propels forth bustling with jangly punk that bears just a bit of folk punk twang in the guitars.

That's best exemplified by the opening title track, a promising, strained tumble of grainy, emotive singing and worn, upbeat melodies. The guitars have this really strongly rustic, hard strum to them and it gives the EP a firm rigor about it. The balladic close of "Requiem (I Promise)" doesn't hit the emotional climax one would hope it does, but it's an appropriately somber finish all the same with shaky vocals and a little bit of scrappy pickup in tempo and yelp for the last minute.

The bitter lyrics of "Empty Bed Syndrome" can be corny ("Does he have a really cool band? / Do they play really cool shows? / Does he have all the coolest friends that wear all the coolest fucking clothes?"), and the songs can feel a bit like background fare at times, but overall, this is a 7" of considerable potential. Some more dynamism and ambitious songwriting could do them wonders.

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Thanks for Coming Out EP