I like gummy bears. I know they aren’t healthy or anything, but I like them. A lot. Maybe it’s just that I’m trying to make up for a lost childhood or something, but I can’t get enough of that tooth-rotting, saccharine sweetness. Without hesitation, I’ll eat a whole bag of them in one sitting (sans orange gummy bears because they simply aren’t as tasty) even though I know that such a grand amount of sugar is going to kick in my stomach twenty minutes later.

Dumb Haircuts appeal to an analogous aural appetite of mine: the band plays fun garage punk songs with fantastical lyrics, chewy textures, and addictive hooks. On this seven inch split with their friend Ethan, they even remind me of a mix between Devo and Black Flag.

“3 2 1 Birthday,” the first track, is what I want to a call a “distorted, mean mother of a song.” It sounds sort of like a countdown to the apocalypse with some screeching vocals and powerful rockin’. “Screamy in the Clouds” feels like a caffeine rush with its energetic screams (go figure) and catchy guitar line. “Porcupine in a Ghost Box” has another cool guitar melody and some quirky bass work while “Orange Marker” is a sort of classic lo-fi indie love song (with the inevitable “la la la” vocals). “Goblet Full of Drool” then closes the Dumb Haircuts side of the split with some hand claps and energetic melodies.

I feel like this band would have lots of inside jokes, and their songs make me want to be in on them. Sure some of the songs leave something to be desired but the band is celebrating youth gosh darn it! They play energetically, sing absurdly, and don’t really let up. The 7” seems to be the perfect medium for this music. Short, sweet, and scratchy. The songs are simple in structure, sure, but they are nevertheless well constructed, catchy, and fun.

On the flipside entitled “Uke Happening,” Ethan plays 3 songs that sound like they are from some sort of desert island. I can see it now, surrounded by bubbly purple octopi and inhabited by curious, furry, tree-dwelling animals. In any case, “Lies, Lies, Lies” describes losing a game of beach volleyball on purpose to the daughter of two dentists. On “Little Brown Jug,” Ethan sings about a couple seeking refuge in alcohol, and on “Not Worthy,” he describes the insecurities every young boy feels when approaching a girl who “just rocks so hard.” His voice actually sounds something like a mix between Nico and Devendra Banhart (very cool), and his songs are reminiscent of The Magnetic Fields’ more summery work. In short, “Uke Happening” provides a welcome contrast to Dumb Haircuts but leaves you wanting more. Also, the melodies are incredibly hummable, so just consider that a warning.

This split as a whole seems like a splendiferous tongue in cheek celebration, and if you are like me, it will leave you wanting more. But at the same time, I feel like if you have too much of this, just like with the gummy bears, there might be some negative consequences. Perhaps I should heed Ethan’s advice though and enjoy the dance of it.