New Wax
This reviewer had the great pleasure of witnessing Man Man’s live act in New Orleans last summer during their tour with Modest Mouse. Don’t tell Isaac Brock, but in many ways, they blew Mouse out of the water, taking stage with 70’s era tennis outfits, complete with sweatbands and porn-worthy mustaches. As if this wasn’t enough, they littered the stage with a yard sale of mismatched drums, xylophones, pots, pans. . . you get the idea. The sound? Think Stomp meets Tom Waits. Gimmicky? Maybe a little, but the music was thicker than axle grease and just as slick, with a groove so deliciously trashy that not even the squares could resist shaking their hips.
Rabbit Habits marks Man Man’s debut on ANTI- Records, home to iconic artists like Elliott Smith, Tom Waits, Neko Case, and The Frames. I must admit, when I first approached the album, I was dubious about how Man Man would translate to tape. The bad news is that Rabbit Habits does no justice to Man Man’s live show. It would be impossible to capture the visceral pleasure. That being said, this is as engaging a rock album as you’re likely to find this year. Though the tracks forego the live show’s usual bells and whistles (literally), Man Man’s insatiable groove still pervades. You’ll hear some of their trademark esoteric instrumentation, and with hardly a shred of guitar. Listening to the album feels like wandering down Canal Street in New Orleans with a head full of chemicals and a full moon to guide you, and just when you think things are getting weird, the circus comes to town. Singer Honus Honus’s lyrics construct a fantastic study of baroque characters and distorted landscapes. A great place to get lost when you’re weary of the status quo. -- Kilgore Trout
MP3: Man Man - Hurly Burly
MP3: Man Man - Top Drawer
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