And I Want Her to Know
It's tough to talk about this band without mentioning Tom Waits, since Man Man's main singer has the raspy carnival bark of a Waitsian dirge. It's an interesting comparison though, since Waits took years to develop that throaty howl, dribbled with schmaltz, and Man Man burst out of the gate sounding like this on their debut. It would be easy to think this music contrived, but it definitely has a feel of authenticity to it. These guys mean it, which is always a good thing. And the background is thick with horns, rattles and shakers creating a intricate atmosphere. It's pretty interesting stuff.
This track, Gold Teeth, is a long, beautiful thing, sprawling out over five minutes. It's a pretty good example of what these Man Man guys are all about. The album from which this comes is chock full of these ancient melodies and whimsical stories told through this same gruff throat. It's definitely recommended listening. Fans of Beefheart and Zappa will probably warm to it quickly, but it shouldn't necessarily be pigeon-holed like that. This album can be enjoyed by just about anyone.
You can pick up their debut album The Man in the Blue Turban direct from Ace Fu records. My guess is that these fellas are pretty crazy live, but they're not on tour right now. Oh well. And don't forget to check out the band's site for more clips and a really weird video for 10lb Mustache.