Tomorrow’s Hits… Tune in tomorrow to see if they’re right
Review: The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits
Published on March 12th, 2014 | Jonny Abrams
The Men’s fifth album Tomorrow’s Hits offers scrappy yet sincere indie-pop without much in the way of either flair or distinguishing features, although there’s a ragtag/slapdash sort of charm to its slightly out-of-tune speak-singing and the almost random-seeming blasts of harmonica.
Those were observations hewn from slacker-esque opening track “Dark Waltz”, but it could also apply to much of what ensues. Relative exceptions include “Another Night”, adorned as it is by a triumphant brass section, and “Pearly Gates”, six minutes of frantically honking horns, honky tonk piano and rockabilly guitar sound-offs.
Closing track “Going Down” builds up a pleasingly rambunctious head of steam before sending a scratchy lead solo hurtling off up towards the heavens, but even the best bits of Tomorrow’s Hits struggle to shake off the air of featurelessness entirely.
It’s not bad stuff, not at all – it’s just that listening to it conjures precious little imagery other than a fuzzy sort of grey, lightly scrambled and stoned but not in the way that leads to pure slacker magic, like on the new Real Estate LP.
That they lack the alchemy of Pavement is not to be held against The Men. Alas, the tunes aren’t memorable enough.
Tomorrow’s Hits is out now on Sacred Bones.
BUY: Tomorrow’s Hits on iTunes or on Amazon.
Rocksucker says: Three Quails out of Five!
About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
