Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are at their best when they're having fun and Sing In Japanese is the first time that enjoyable spirit isn't blatantly apparent. Because Japanese isn't Spike's native tongue, he spends much of the release's 15 minutes working overtime trying not to biff pronunciations and lyrics. While he seems to have done a more than amicable job, his serious approach towards each track takes away from the band's usual atmosphere. That's not to say these songs aren't enjoyable ― each brings a twist to Japanese classics you most likely haven't heard ― but the band's usual sense of irony is completely lost in translation. It's a catchy EP, not without their usual speed and bounciness, but it works best as tour fodder. Making things worse is Fat Mike's classless "Rs as Ls" interjections in the album's closing track, "Linda Linda." Not cool, dude.