By: Rosie Judd
Tomorrow’s Hits may not be the most original record from Brooklyn’s The Men, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not packed full of ear candy. This record provides a great balance of pop sensibilities, garage-rock boogie and classic rock homages. Opening with the jangly, minor-key rocker “Dark Waltz”, Tomorrow’s Hits immediately puts you in the mood to pop open a beer and sit down on your favorite bar stool for a listen. “Going Down” closes the record in the same mood, but with a little more punk influence thrown in. The prickly distortion and frantic rhythm makes for a good album closer (and a good way to end a long night on your favorite barstool). Nestled in between these two powerhouse tracks are all of the highs and lows that you can expect to experience in life, or even just a night out at the bar. Excitement, malaise, a little darkness thrown in here and there, but for the most part, well-crafted pop songs that are blatant in their influences. “Get What You Give” gives us that 70’s power anthem vibe, complete with handclaps, sweet harmonies, and an epic guitar solo to close it out. “Different Days” and “Pearly Gates” are full of boogie and bring to mind the driving guitar of influences like Canned Heat and Chuck Berry.
“Sleepless” and “Settle Me Down” bring us to a slightly calmer, but darker place in the bands journey through this record. The piano, slide guitar, and harmonica of “Sleepless” help to evoke the malaise evidenced by lyrics such as “knocked down off my feet and I just wanna sleep for a while…”. The track meanders much like a half-formed dream that tickles your brain after a night out. “Settle Me Down” has a wistful melody with vocals reminiscent of Big Star’s “13”. While these songs are in contrast to the pounding zest found in the rest of the record, the earnestness in the lyrics and the arrangements help these songs blend into the whole.
If The Men set out to write a classic and roots rock record that could be played on the radio in between classics from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Big Star, and Bruce Springsteen, then they’ve succeeded in crafting songs that blend in well with those influences. The record title certainly seems to be confident in the importance that these songs will have in the future.
Track Listing:
- Dark Waltz
- Get What You Give
- Another Night
- Different Days
- Sleepless
- Pearly Gates
- Settle Me Down
- Going Down
Don’t forget to nab your tickets to see The Men at The Earl on April 30, 2014.
