Friendly Foes — Born Radical

This might be Friendly Foes' debut album, but the trio are well-versed in the Detroit music scene. Thunderbirds Are Now!'s Ryan Allen and Kiddo's Lizzie Wittman's vocal interplay — paired with their hyperactive, jangly power-pop hooks — make Friendly Foes sound like The New Pornographers on speed, especially on "My Body (Is A Strange Place To Live)." There are some catchy tunes, like "Full Moon Morning," "Couch Surfing" and "Lil' Tiger," but, like any spastic child running rampant after eating too much sugar, the music can become tiresome. Some tracks start to blend together in a maddening frenzy midway through, but closer "Rush The Land" brings the band back down to a more contained energy level and saves Born Radical from spiraling out of control. The silence that follows the end of this last track is like breathing a sigh of relief — much like how a parent feels when the sugar high is over and the kid has finally passed out.

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