Review / 200 Words Or Less
Fake Problems / Ninja Gun
Split

Sabot Productions (2009) Michael

Fake Problems / Ninja Gun – Split cover artwork
Fake Problems / Ninja Gun – Split — Sabot Productions, 2009

This split 7" from Sabot teams up two punk sensations for one exclusive track each. Fake Problems offer up "The Manliest Man of All Men," which is very much in tune with their preceding full-length, It's Great to be Alive. The band builds on their quirky punk sound with a hint of bluesy rock and roll and indie rock flavoring; think The Rolling Stones meets Against Me! and Modest Mouse.

Ninja Gun offers "Time and a Half," which showcases a more pop-driven sound as compared to Fake Problems. The song boasts a slight Americana tinge and the vocals are much more smooth and poppy, recalling Billy Joe Armstrong at points. I wasn't as into this song; it just seemed a bit too cutesy for my tastes.

If you're a fan of PBR, The Fest, beards, and flannel shirts, then you should definitely take the time to pick up this 7" - that's if you don't already have it.

6.5 / 10Michael • December 10, 2009

Fake Problems / Ninja Gun – Split cover artwork
Fake Problems / Ninja Gun – Split — Sabot Productions, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Nicole Alexis

Mirrors & Smoke
Independent (2026)

There’s a fine line between stripped down music and so stripped back that is sounds empty. On Mirrors and Smoke, Nicole Alexis lands comfortably on the right side of that line, delivering a debut EP that leans into simplicity without losing its emotional weight. Built around acoustic arrangements and minimal production, the EP feels intentionally close. It feels like these … Read more

The Remote Controls

Too Tough
Fail Harmonic Records, Mom’s Basement Records (2025)

There’s a certain kind of punk band that doesn’t overthink things. No reinvention, no genre-bending manifesto, just fast songs, big hooks, and enough attitude to carry it all. Indianapolis’ The Remote Controls lean hard into that tradition on Too Tough, a record that feels less like a statement and more like a well-earned victory lap. Built on a steady diet … Read more

Sahan Jayasuriya

Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen
Feral House (2026)

For those of us who spent the mid-to-late 1980s navigating basement community halls, churches, and loveable, armpit-smelling dive bars, the name Die Kreuzen was a permanent fixture on the punk rock radar. They were the sound of the Midwest underground --too fast for the goths to do their spooky Bela Lugosi "shoo the bats away" interpretive dance, too technical for … Read more