The Men : Tomorrow’s Hits

Much like that tour de force, The Men’s fifth LP draws from rock and pop’s past to charge ahead into the future. TheNew York band’s major reference points are Springsteen’s bar band years, The Clash (minus the Jamaican grooves) and Big Star worshippers The Replacements.

The Men could be accused of being too fixed on their chosen rock’n’roll golden era, but it’s not to the detriment of the tunes. Many songs eclipse five minutes, often ending in a primitive instrumental jam,yet this record also features relatively defined production. LyricallyTomorrow’s Hitsmight not change your life, but it’s liable to shift your mood. Opener ‘Dark Waltz’ reminisces on childhood discovery of music, while ‘Get What You Give’ notes a non-stop thirst to listen: “I’d love to lie in bed but I’ve got to catch this song.”

Tomorrow’s Hitslacks the exploring unpredictability of 2012’sOpen Your Heart,but the album’s consistency is actually the key to its success. Most importantly, instead of trying to precisely replicate their favourite bands, The Men sound honestly inspired.

4/5 stars

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