MISTER HEAVENLY – Out of Love (Part 1.5)

So, Brandon couldn’t hold his tongue. He was all excited to take the week off but he’s an opinionated SOB, so while Jenn suffered an all-nighter at her job, Brandon sat and stewed. And stewed. And thought, “You only know one Man Man song? One!?” (Where’s an interrobang when you need one!?)
Buy Out of Love here!

Mister Heavenly – “Mister Heavenly”

From: Brandon Hall
To: Chris Mollica and Jennifer Lao

Chris and Jenn. Sorry. I just feel compelled to jump in here. I know I’m a third party and should mind my own business but a “non-album album?” What does that even mean? Are you implying that the songs have no coherence? Are you upset that members from other bands have joined forces? Do you have the same problem with The New Pornographers? Broken Social Scene? Wu-Tang Clan?

Listen, Islands I can take in small chunks. Your first experience with them sounds euphoric and amazing, though I suspect that was an aberration. I’ve also seen Islands live. Head-bobbing cohorts there were, dancers not so much. The show just didn’t compel that kind of audience participation.

But dude. Why the hell are you not listening to Man Man? Seriously, dude. Listen to Man Man. It’s time. Go. Put it in. “Van Helsing’s Boombox” is only one of the more glorious drunken sing-a-long inducing songs to come along in the past 20 years. Furthermore, I don’t know that it’s accurate to say Man Man are an “experimental” band. They experiment with some stuff, sure, but their structures and melodies are pretty standard indie-rock fare. Okay. Some stuff is pretty experimental. But some. Not most.

People – I’m jumping in here to demand that you all go listen to Man Man. That’s basically what I’m here for.

But also to say that this album is a fun fucking 36 minutes. You really don’t find yourself humming the tune to “Mister Heavenly” while you’re in the shower? Earlier today, I couldn’t get a certain melody out of my head as I was exploring my new neighborhood of Park Slope. It took me most of the day until I realized it was “Pineapple Girl.”

My two cents: Islands are fine and harmless. Man Man is fucking awesome and occasionally harmful. Together, Thorburn and Kattner level each other out. Or maybe Joe Plummer’s doing the leveling. I never in a million years would have put these guys together but they manage to compliment each other to an astounding degree. Thorburn gets Kattner’s edge, Kattner gets Thorburn’s gift for melody and Plummer pumps everything up with that good ol’ Modest Mouse-ian drive.

“Non-album album” my ass.

“Wise men don’t no nothing about the way I feel,”

Brandon