The Soft Pack, looking hard.

I know Male Bonding is all kinds of up and coming (with their Sub Pop debut Nothing Hurts due May 11), but the band’s biggest problem–at least when it comes to superficial success across the pond–is that the balding guy with glasses provides lead vocals on most of their songs, instead of the blond bassist. No offense, dudes, I’m just sayin’. The blisteringly fuzzed-out London trio started their Tuesday Chop Suey set twenty minutes late, but that’s okay, since they have just under a half hour of fast and furious material anyway. Everything works out for these guys. 

Meanwhile, The Soft Pack has some deliciously catchy rock songs. In describing their sound as “smart,” I mean that both ways: there’s hooks galore guaranteed to have you bopping along, and they also have a song about California’s economic crisis. The San Diego four-piece formerly known as The Muslims kicked things off with “C’Mon” before tearing through, oh, about fourteen songs, basically everything off of their upbeat full-length, The Soft Pack, as well as a few older tracks. Sign me up for any band where the drummer stands while he plays–The Soft Pack is just damn fun.

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