Reviews
Man Man
Rabbit Habits
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Rabbit Habits is the 3rd album from Philadelphia oddballs MAN MAN. Lead by Ryan Kattner, a.k.a. Honus Honus, this eclectic 5 piece charges headlong through the bizarre and hilarious. Combining many of the great elements of Zappa, Beefheart, Mr Bungle and Tom Waits, MAN MAN have crafted themselves a very fine album. And though their influences may be obvious at times, they avoid straight up emulation, creating their own brand of compelling and challenging music.
They’re a great example of why you don’t need 10 band members to make you band sound interesting. MAN MAN is a 5 piece that sounds like an angry mob of volcano worshipers on their way to the best cocktail party ever.
I enjoy a sense of humor in music and MAN MAN certainly has one. The best humorists know when a joke stops being funny. On ‘Rabbit Habits’ none of the songs take the joke too far, shifting just in time to keep you interested. And, the best comedy comes from pain. The lyrical content is quite good on this record. A great many references to relationship ins and outs are colored nicely with unusual metaphors and develish imagery. However, it should be noted that this is not a break-up album – it’s just one of the many tents at the MAN MAN carnival.
The album barrels through with tight songs that never overstay their welcome. Just when it seems like it’s going to fall apart and spill into chaos, it regains its composure. It is much like watching an experienced drunk stumble through a crowded room without spilling a drop of that martini. From the jovial and infectious ‘The Ballad of Butter Beans’ to the sprawling urgency of ‘Poor Jackie’, MAN MAN wanders successfully from the obscure to the wonderfully dark and twisted.
At the end of the day, MAN MAN has pieced together a unique collection of textures and imagery, evoking everything from zombies to the absence of God and more. It is without a doubt the most fun I’ve had with an album all year.
Score: 9
- Greg Legros