The new album from Man Man, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is the sort of record that defies any easy description. The tunes here on this Sub Pop release skirt multiple genres and provide proof of the inventiveness of Honus Honus and crew. While there's a scattershot quality to this whole enterprise for those of us who are relatively new to the Man Man thing, it's ultimately an offering that rewards a listener's attention with the sheer volume of its ideas.
"Cloud Nein" and "Lonely Beuys" clatter along like some unholy mix of Zappa, Tom Waits, and Randy Newman, while "Hunters" is a bit more straightforward. "Sheela" is damn catchy, and clearly the single from Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, even as material like "Animal Attraction" strikes out for territory more abstract and experimental.
While there are sporadic moments that briefly offer up real beauty, Man Man are better at mixing that kind of thing up with flashes of bold instrumental prowess, or near-jazz-like displays of musical risk-taking. It's a heady mix, and it goes without saying that the album feels longer than it is. I think that's a result of so many ideas being launched at a listener here that it's almost as if you need a breather. That said, Man Man are really doing something unique here and deserve to be applauded by attentive listeners willing to hear something boldly iconoclastic.
Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is out on Friday via Sub Pop.
More details on Man Man via the official Facebook page.
[Photo: Dan Monick]