Operation Makeout

Hang Loose is the debut full-length from this Mint Records trio whose first EP was called, appropriately enough, First Base. And featured on its cover, appropriately enough, two slobbering tongues going at it. From this preliminary information you may be tempted to conclude that Operation Makeout is nothing but a silly and juvenile concept band based on one joke. But luckily they've got some musicianship to back up the goof. Granted, it's not too much more than your standard pop punk fare, but the strained and mature sounding vocals (shared by Katie and Jesse; Anna's the drummer) and the snazzy, almost funkadelic bass work means Operation Makeout could never come within miles of a Sum 41 comparison. The whole CD is churned out at such a frantic pace, creating the feeling of racing a train. All in all, Hang Loose isn't innovative or mind bending, but fun and adrenaline pumping nonetheless.