“Supergroups,” or bands formed after some members have already achieved fame through other musical endeavors, are often hit-or-miss undertakings. Traveling Wilburys? Hit. Velvet Revolver? Epic miss.

The latest supergroup, this time coming out of the pop/punk scene, combines the singer of an influential band with the singer of a band presently popular.

Chris Conley, singer of Saves the Day, along with his bassist Dave Soloway, and singer of Say Anything Max Bemis, and his drummer Coby Linder, have formed Two Tongues.

The project is interesting to say the least. Two of music’s most grotesque lyricists, Conley (who once sung about digging out his own eyes) and Bemis (who is notoriously vulgar), were sure to make the songs captivating, and pairing up Conley’s nasally, high-pitched voice with Bemis’s drunken sailor-esque growl provides an interesting contrast.

The self-titled album begins with “Crawl,” a heavy piece that has Bemis screaming a line then whispering another before Conley comes in with a laughably high-pitched verse.

Needless to say, the album opens on a low note. But as Conley begins to lay off the helium throughout the rest of the album, the songs, not coincidentally, begin to get better.

The second track, “If I Could Make You Do Things,” has Bemis and Conley trading off lines before Bemis takes over the chorus, with Conley singing a distant-sounding harmony. The song is an example of this “supergroup” living up to its full potential.

Conley sings almost exclusively throughout “Dead Lizard,” a fast-paced track that resembles the early work of his original band Saves the Day.

An interesting piece on the album is the connection between “Interlude” and “Tremors.” Sherri DuPree of Eisley, Bemis’ fiancée, sings the “Interlude,” which then segues perfectly into the excellent “Tremors.”

The two tracks are blatant love songs, although not the traditionally sweet love songs, as Bemis added his own coarse touch. They aren’t overly sappy and work quite well together.

Up to this point, the lyrics are mild, relatively speaking. Luckily, Bemis unfurls this gem on “Silly Game:” “I play a silly game where I’m dressed up in drag/ Wasted, smoking a fag.”

Despite the eyebrow raising lyrics, “Silly Game” and the next track, “Don’t You Want to Come Home,” are disappointing.

“Wowee Zowee” picks the album back up, with excellent use of dual vocals that build up through the verse before erupting into an anthemic chorus. Conley sings smoothly, and Bemis uses his trademark growl, which plays to each of the singers’ strengths and creates a highlight of the album.

The final two songs on “Two Tongues” are extremely strong tracks that demonstrate the success of this “supergroup.” The funk-inspired “Back Against the Wall” is exactly what fans of this release were hoping to see out of the project — smart lyrics, excellent musicianship and Conley and Bemis complementing each other perfectly.

The album concludes with a masterful cover of Ween’s “Even If You Don’t,” which has lyrics crazy enough to sound as if it was written by Bemis and Conley.

Two Tongues made exactly the album fans had hoped and expected it would make. Conley and Bemis further prove they are two of the best in the musical game these days and would be hard-pressed to put out bad music.
Two Tongues? Hit.

Reach the reporter at jdfourni@asu.edu.