Named for a beer glass that looks like a full pint but actually holds a mere 12 ounces, Boston-based foursome Cheater Pint plays full-bodied, energetic punk rock with plenty of pop hooks, a sense of humor, and an occasional willingness to bear a little bit of their soul. (As the name suggests, they're also extremely fond of malt beverages.) Led by singer and guitarist Lauran O'Neal, Cheater Pint made their debut in 2000, and that same year they released their first recording, a three-song EP titled Kinger. A second EP, Three for Nothing, and the single "Three Sizes Too Small" were released in 2003, while in 2004 O'Neal and guitarist Mark Simon were joined by new bassist Meaghan McLaughlin, who has previously worked with the band Chroma. In 2005, drummer Dan Weddle signed on with Cheater Pint, and the band released another single, "Ma, I'm Tryin'." In 2007, Cheater Pint's single "Control Freak" began scoring local airplay in Boston, and the band followed it up with their first full-length album, Dark Side of the Pint; the album was well received by independent radio outlets in Boston and across the United States, and hit number two on the local charts of the Boston-area music magazine The Noise. ~ Mark Deming