Unwelcome Guests / Saint Sweetheart
Split [7 inch] (2009)
Brian Shultz
Unwelcome Guests and Saint Sweetheart unleashed this perky little split early this year.
UG kick it off with "Diddle" and "Waiting." Vocalist/guitarist Micah Winship's got a great restraint and clarity about his voice and narrative ("Though my best might not be good enough / I'm trying to do right by you.") and it's by far the standout factor for the band's songs, which themselves are more musical exploration of the Replacements' and the Weakerthans' nimble yet self-controlled moments. Granted, Winship's singing is noticeably jarring for the chorus in "Diddle," where he's trying to show some emphasis and enthusiasm, but there's an awkward strain in his voice and it's only setting the song back. Still, both tracks are able, well-paced songs with buoyant guitar and bass chords that push 'em along.
SS take up the backspace with two decent jams of their own. "Feeling Nervous" and "Yes" are lighthearted indie pop-ish tunes from the trio that vaguely remind me of Belle and Sebastian, only a lot less refined and more punk-influenced.