The Methadones

In late 2009 the members of the Methadones have become involved with so many other projects that I guess we’re lucky to get these four songs out of them. By my count, the combined active family tree (let’s not even get into broken up bands of the past) includes at least six other bands. Luckily, before everything went completely crazy they completed these four songs, split between two records and two record labels.

Despite coming from the same recording session, the two records feature wholly distinct personalities. If you’re the English major type that reads into every minute detail, even the record label names can give you clues. No, seriously!

Gary Glitter b/w Over the Moon came first, via It’s Alive Records. It makes sense that this one comes out on the label with “Alive” in the title as it features two energetic pop-punk rave-ups. “Gary Glitter” was co-written by guitarist Mike Byrne and I’m willing to put down at least five bucks that the song emanated from one of his legendarily bad jokes. “Over the Moon” sounds like a never-before-recorded power-pop classic (along the lines of the 2006 re-workings from 21st Century Power Pop Riot); lots of fat drunk guys will be singing along to this at future Meths shows.

I Believe b/w Exit 17 is the melancholy one, from Underground Communiqué. Get it, it’s under, it’s down, all that type of thing? See, I told you it would make sense! “I Believe” is a full-band version of formerly “Dan Schafer + acoustic guitar” tune off of This Won’t Hurt. The same glum feeling hangs over the song, with Dan giving one of his most restrained vocal performances on record. The addition of the full band honestly doesn’t add too much to the song though, as they just follow along with what we already knew from 2007. “Exit 17” shifts back to the acoustic realm, yet allows flourishes of drums and electric guitar bits to fill out the sound. However, coming straight after ”I Believe” it sounds a bit like a retread and not very memorable.

Overall, the two records complement each other nicely when taken as a package, but individually the edge goes to Gary Glitter. 7/10 for that one, then 4/10 for I Believe leads to a solid 6/10.