The band Mankind render their name as MANKIND in some places. And their new album, Pophits also gets rendered POPHITS too. That smacks of the sort of pretension that seems out of place for a band like this. The reality is that Mankind make straightforward, unpretentious, and infectious indie-rock, and their new album, out on Friday on Lazy Octopus, is a real winner.
While "Pickled Love" and "Silent Treatment" recall Circa Waves and The Strokes, respectively, the languid "Tired" goes further back, to early Radiohead for inspiration. One listens to Pophits and hears exactly what Mankind were likely listening to and drawing inspiration from. But even with that being said, lots of this works spectacularly well. At their best, Mankind momentarily transcend these obvious comparison points and crank out something which seems a good deal fresher, like on on the fuzzy "Heart on Sleeve", one of the highlights here.
I wouldn't want anyone to read this review and think that because I find some of this a bit reminiscent of other bands that it's somehow not recommended. On the contrary, the music of Mankind on Pophits should be as easy to embrace as that of many of the bands that have clearly fueled this lot's quest for indie-rock glory. That all of this is fairly direct and catchy helps too. Mankind might not be breaking the mold here, but they are continuing a style that a lot of us loved in the Nineties, and a style that continues to bring us real pleasure when done right. Like on this album.
Pophits is out on Friday via Lazy Octopus Records.
More details on Mankind via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Echo Three / Lazy Octopus / Mankind]