Lung/Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends “Adult Prom” 2023. Learning Curve Records, multi-color splattered vinyl. Split LP, with Cincinnati’s metal/punk cello duo Lung on Side A and noisy power pop via (now) Milwaukee’s Conan Neutron on Side B. Despite living in Milwaukee I’m not sure that I’ve seen Conan Neutron perform (maybe??) but we have seen Lung many times – twice this summer! – including this past Saturday night at X-Ray Arcade (Cudahy). It was a particularly wild show – the first Lung performance I’ve been at with a mosh pit (it was a local band’s record release party and their fan base is very young and exuberant) – and Lung were top-notch as always, with extra-energy most likely provided by the super-receptive crowd.

Lung at X-Ray Arcade, September 2024

Adult Prom is a great, if unusual, split LP. Lung’s side is heavy – it can’t help but be with all low-end drums and cello. Lung covers a Conan Neutron track, “The Impossible Task” from the 2020 Dark Passengers album, making the song sparse and sinister. My top pick on the Lung side is “Anyone Else,” which is also a bit sparse and sinister but has a classical music edge that makes it ultra-unique for a “rock” record. Conan Neutron’s side has a much more traditional grungy rock-n-roll sound (as compared to Lung), with guitar, bass and drums (plus sitar! so not that traditional). They cover Lung’s “I’m Nervous” from the 2021 LP Come Clean Right Now and it’s my favorite on the Conan-side. It’s ass-shaking: they keep the low-end and add some cocky alt-rock swagger. Lung’s Kate Wakefield also duets with Conan on “Fridging;” their vocal styles could not be more different but the song totally works. Actually the entirety of Side B is pretty great and I really need to make an effort to get to one of their shows since they’re now based here in Milwaukee.

“Wild Antics” is the first track on Conan Neutron’s side, it’s a great song but including the video here because it’s silly and it was directed and edited by the infamous Milwaukee indie filmmaker Mark Borchardt, subject of the cult classic American Movie (1999).