I first acquainted myself with The Men in 2010 as a grad student at Cleveland State University when a friend of mine gave me a copy of "Immaculada." Known for their shoegazingly off rip punk inspired rock that combines a clever use of guitar effects akin to Sonic Youth and a range of classic rock influences, The Men have stepped their game up with their latest release "New Moon" on Sacred Bones Records. While "New Moon" certainly lacks the discordance and frenzy of the band's back catalog, the melodic tones and harmonies contained in songs like "I Saw Her Face" demonstrate a band shedding its skin and allowing vulnerability to create honest and familiar songs. A clearer approach to mixing and production works surprisingly well for The Men considering their stylistic love for noise and many of the arrangements are reminiscent of blues and country rock, something I find very impressive and eclectic. The toe-tappingly charged track "Electric" is the best representation of the band's sound this time around. With its carefully placed rockabilly lead guitar riff and its cool approach and smooth delivery, "Electric" slowly absorbs in your brain until it is permanently a fixture of the psyche. Perhaps the best quality The Men possess is their ability to allow an environment to shape a record. This has been the case with each record in the band's catalog, each representing a distinct style and mood reflective of the place it was recorded. "New Moon" was recorded in a cabin in rural Big Indian, New York and the distance of that place is represented in the melancholic Americana of the band's new sound. The beautiful piano of "Open the Door" perfectly demonstrates this with its light and and honest approach to country sounds viewed with alternative lenses that hasn't been done as impressively since Husker Du. Stripped down but not souled out, "New Moon" introduces a new element into the band's already stellar repertoire. To add to the mixture of shoegaze, noise rock, and punk we find country, psychedelia, and American folk rock that, I hope, will introduce the band's audience to the wide array of influences that helped shape this record. There is no doubt that "New Moon" will be a divisive record that many older fans of the band will have a hard time digesting. Hopefully open-mindedness will prevail long enough for older fans to give this record a chance to appreciate how well crafted it truly is and the band's newer "polished" sound invites the previously apprehensive to check out the band's back catalog. This is a turning point for The Men, I wish them the best.
9 / 10
- Joe