Kid vs. Kid

Despite its name, this Overland Park-based trio should have the power to unite kids instead of dividing them, as it moves between Pavement-style indie-rock, bouncy new-wave-flavored pop, and guitar-powered heavier fare. Singer/drummer Brian Lynn, the former bassist of Grither, adds a political slant to his lyrics, as he rants about daddy’s little tax break on “Kid Prophet” and paints an unflattering portrait of the “Man of the House,” who continually searches for his wife, asking Is she hiding again? Producer Ed Rose deftly captures the punchy work of the rhythm section while placing the right emphasis on Lynn’s smooth, confident vocals. Guitarist Patrick Saunders contributes plenty of solid riffs and a shimmering intro to “Until the Sleep,” while bassist/vocalist Morse concocts a similarly engaging opening passage to “Slick,” one of two tracks he wrote. The only kid versus kid battles to ensue as a result of this record will likely stem from one youngster’s borrowing this impressive EP for longer than the agreed-upon amount of time.