Punk is a state of mind – I now believe this to be true, but when I was 12 I did not get that concept. Subcultures can start to have rigid rules that the people of this subculture are expected to live by, but if you ask me, that immediately closes minds. This happens a lot in the musical world, where people begin to think if you are sludge, hardcore, indie or doom you have to create your music in a certain way. One band from New York that gives the middle finger to closed minds is THE MEN – this band is on some next shit. So check it out, their new album Leave Home via Sacred Bones Records is rad as fuck. It reminds me of the way the SST bands saw music when I was younger; the reason I say this is that the SST heads followed their own rules, which THE MEN also seem to do. The first track on the album “If You Leave…” is on some weirdo indie styles, that’s cool by me, but not every song sounds like this. The second song, “Lotus,” is some fuzzed-out blitzed-out rock & roll that has some catchy riffs that ride through the song, plus the drums are super killer – they actually almost talk to you! By the fourth tune, “L.A.D.O.C.H.” they dive into a pool of blackened sludge that is off the mountain, this song is damaged & dirty as fuck. Trust me when I say this, THE MEN have created a highly original album that could never get boring cause it’s just that different! These dudes are from another universe where feedback is a superhero & distortion is a U.F.O – I’m down for the trip, so should you be!
THE MEN : L.A.D.O.C.H
THE MEN : Night Landing
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