While it would by futile to deny the swagger and bounce in this track from Man Man's forthcoming album Rabbit Habits, it's primarily a lot of quirk and grumble signifying nothing. Singer Honus Honus doles out a tobacco-charred series of non-sequiturs over a funk bass line that bobs but never really swings. These lines are occasionally inspired; an "aristocratic, glow in the dark erotic magnet" is not a regularly returned gift, I'm sure. But once his bandmates take over on the limp chorus stating, "I am the top dog, top dog, hot dog, hot dog," it's frankly as lame as it reads. For a band whose rep is founded on an air of menacing weirdness, it's neither imposing nor even very strange. For every image as amusing as the magnet line listed above, there's two libidinous clunkers like, "People say I'm possessed by the devil, but mama you know I'm possessed by your daughter," that could've been lifted from an old George Thorogood LP. And when the band finally "freaks out" it's only for a series of keyboard noodles that Matthew Friedberger could surpass during a quick lunch break. I've not seen the band's vaunted live show, so perhaps Indian headdresses and a boatload of energy can really create a sense of derangement, but the evidence on tape is surprisingly thin.
Man Man
Top Drawer (Track Review)
While it would by futile to deny the swagger and bounce in this track from Man Man's forthcoming album Rabbit Habits, it's primarily a lot of quirk and grumble signifying nothing. Singer Honus Honus doles out a tobacco-charred series of non-sequiturs over a funk bass line that bobs but never really swings. These lines are occasionally inspired; an "aristocratic, glow in the dark erotic magnet" is not a regularly returned gift, I'm sure. But once his bandmates take over on the limp chorus stating, "I am the top dog, top dog, hot dog, hot dog," it's frankly as lame as it reads. For a band whose rep is founded on an air of menacing weirdness, it's neither imposing nor even very strange. For every image as amusing as the magnet line listed above, there's two libidinous clunkers like, "People say I'm possessed by the devil, but mama you know I'm possessed by your daughter," that could've been lifted from an old George Thorogood LP. And when the band finally "freaks out" it's only for a series of keyboard noodles that Matthew Friedberger could surpass during a quick lunch break. I've not seen the band's vaunted live show, so perhaps Indian headdresses and a boatload of energy can really create a sense of derangement, but the evidence on tape is surprisingly thin.
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9 Responses
| NWMusicBlog |
Another angry circus song from these Top dogs. |
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This track is pretty much just as solid as anything from Six Demon Bag. |
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6.0 out of 10
circus was the first thing that came to my mind too. |
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It just strikes me as kinda of boring, really. Boringly "weird." |
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7.5 out of 10
I like it. I'm really looking forward to this album. This is a solid song, its not "Ice Dogs" or "Spider Cider" but its still better than a lot of the boring music coming out. They still are original and do things their own way. Not their best song, but still consistently good. |
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6.5 out of 10
i like it, but i don't like it as much as my favorite stuff by them. |
| anonymous |
jesus this band is so boring. i couldnt drink fast enough when they were at mccarren. one trick repeated over and over and over again. |
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8.5 out of 10
i really love this band, but I do have to agree that this is by no means their craziest or catchiest song. I'm really hoping that they crank it up for the other album tracks. |
Man Man »

I give this a 10.