Named for the Undertones’ song but not sounding it, Los Angeles’ Wednesday Week — two Callan sisters (drums, guitar/vocals) plus a non-sibling female bassist — play fairly simple rock-pop with some outside assistance on the five-song Betsy’s House EP. The music is nice but nothing special, while the lyrics are fairly self-aware, addressing the generation gap, uncertain romance, individualism and alienation. Kristi Callan is a winsome singer and an adequate guitarist; the band is talented but at this point slight.
Expanded to a quartet with the addition of a guitar alumnus from the Last, Wednesday Week cut a far more impressive follow-up, produced by Don Dixon. What We Had sounds like a cross between early Bangles (with more rock energy and simpler vocal arrangements), Chrissie Hynde and the Smithereens, with a few outstanding songs (“Why,” “All That Again”) and consistently spirited playing. The tape and CD add a bonus track.