Man Like Me - Man Like Me [Album]

Our Time Records

May 20, 2009, 04:29 PM

Views: 435   Comments: 2

Buy Man Like Me - Man Like Me [Album] From Amazon.com

As a rule I should automatically detest any band who have the chutzpah to mention their own name once in their song lyrics (decent hip-hop gets a free pass here but Limp Bizkit does not) and Man Like Me break this sacred rule moments into one of their self titled debut albums stronger tracks, and it's testament to some of the records underlying qualities that it didn't cause me to instantly reach for the sick bucket. Man Like Me's well developed blend of ska, electro and hip-hop (think the streets with most of the edges sawn off) works well for the most part and I could definitely see it finding an audience. It won't be finding a permanent home in my spinner though.

Single "Oh My Gosh" sums up everything you need to know about the record with it's brash, retro bass and bleepy, obnoxious synths. It's like Hot Chip remixed by 'that bloke down the pub who sells knock off DVD's out the back of his van'. On the surface it is utterly charmless and just plain annoying. Other tracks fare better with opener "Booze" standing out as a particularly strong track. It's cautionary tale of "pissed up boys in city centres" is paired to a stuttering, 2 step beat, sporadic orchestral swells and some really striking hooks. It's a shame that Man Like Me only seem to operate at one level as there are hints here of a genuine creative spark.

"Doughnut" is a catchy little number which layers a 50's doo-wop, string soaked backdrop over flaky brass stabs and Man Like Me's trademark 'squelch synthery'. "9 Lives" contains the records only truly well written chorus and is just quirky enough without going too far as to be irritating, if it was longer than 3 minutes I would probably berate it as ear cancer, but it's brevity is it's saving grace. Closing track Falafel takes a drastically different approach to the rest of the album with it's darker tone and insane drum breaks, it's a great concept and is the best thing here... but it's too little too late.

For every semi decent track though there are at least 2 absolute stinkers. "Single Dad" is just awful with some of the records worst lyrics ("all I did was bang her, made a slight clanger") and the most out of place steel drum in history. The chorus genuinely made me gag. "Fruit" is a clattering mess and the less said about "Party" the better, it's ironic that the chorus ("Everyone here is 18 or under") essentially sums up the bands core market as nobody over the age of 18 SHOULD find anything to really connect with here.

Lyrical faux pas are common place here ("‘Fell for you real hard/topped up your oyster card/but it was a façade”), yet this could be excused if the words were delivered with conviction. Frontman Johnny Langer doesn't sound connected though, it takes Mike Skinners "laddish" approach to a whole new realm and it's just too detached to make much of an impact. Overall there's just too much filler here, most tracks feed into each other too often and the odd catchy chorus aside there just isn't much here to get excited about. Of course for some the records lack of refinement could be seen as a positive.

There's no snobbery, no pretensions and none of the puerile, pseudo political bullshit we’ve come to associate with mouthy, urban spanners like Kate Nash and it's certainly not un-listenable. There's something for everyone musically too, with elements of The Specials, The Streets, Ian Dury and even early Beck with the spark of 80’s electro, techno and 2-step. It doesn't add up though and flashes of potential do not a cohesive album make.

It's not half as clever as it thinks it is and is incredibly inconsistent, but it's a bit like that one mate you had at school. The loud mouth, arrogant, slightly chavvy one who always thought they had the answer to everything under the sun but were just blagging it (see Jay from The Inbetweeners). Underneath that gruff exterior though is a solid heart and a subtle charm so you keep them around to be kind (because they probably don't have any other mates). Once you leave the confines of higher education though, chances are you wont want to keep in touch.

Tracklisting

1. Intro
2. Booze
3. Single Dad
4. *Doughnut*
5. *9 Lives*
6. Oh My Gosh
7. London Town
8. Carny
9. Party
10. Fruit
11. *Falafel*

#1 | Subscribe | Send to Friend | Print | Discipline | Report