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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
..., June 1, 2006
When I first bought "Six Demon Bag" I was impressed. I mean, who doesn't love any band that mixes Tom Waits, Beefheart, Zappa, and The Residents? But I probably would have only given this album 4 stars at that point. It was good, but seemed a bit like every song sounded the same. I still can't deny that there is an aspect of that to their music.
However, a month after I bought the album I went down to the MacRock music "festival" in Harrisonburg, VA. I went specifically (from Central PA) to see Pattern Is Movement, but was also pumped that Man Man was on the bill. So, PiM had a good set (too short, maybe 25 minutes in length) and several bands later was Man Man. Now, MacRock is set up so that it is actually held in various venues in Harrisonburg, be it a bar, club, or JMU (the college, which is the worst campus I have ever been on-- avoid at all cost whenever possible!). So the show did not FEEL like a festival show.
Man Man gets on and totally blows me away. I have seen some insane shows in my day (16 Horsepower, Sufjan Stevens) but this was awe-inspiring. (Now when people ask me what the best show I ever saw was I have to list three.) They keyboard player/lead singer/visionary was set up just left of center, with his keyboard facing the right side of stage. The drummer was set up upfront, drums facing the left side of the stage, drums practically touching the keyboard. Then in a semi-circle behind/around those two were four guys who served as multi-insrumentalists/back-up singers.
They played as if they were beating off the grips of Hell, frantic and impassioned. At various points during the show someone would run around, grab one of the many props cluttering the stage, and use it to make some kind of noise-- not in front of a mic or anything (so when you go to a show, get up front!!) but just so that whoever cared to hear and could would marvel at it. The one that sticks in my mind is when the keyboard player jumped up mid-song and grabbed a popgun off of someone's music stand and shot it off several times before running back to the keyboard.
And what took it out of "awe, that's cute and clever" area and into "****ing amazing!" is how ridiculously in-sync with each other they were. I hesitate to call it "tight" because this style of music is not really supposed to be "tight", per se. But everything was as it was supposed to be-- so I suppose "tight" might be a close enough description.
It was one of those rare sets which seemed to last both forever and an instant, all at the same time. If I had to guess, I would say it lasted 45 minutes-- which was the scheduled allotment of time. You know that natural high you get after you see a really great show? That high lingered with me about a week after I saw the set... and even now, if I think back to it, it gets recreated. It was special.
And appereantly not isolated, as every report I read of their live shows echoes the things I just said. So if you get a chance to go see them live, DO SO. I can not stress it enough. SEE THEM LIVE.
Ever since then I can't listen to this cd seperate from what I expereinced at the show. The album is flawless, despite what I may have said in my first paragraph. Helpful to a potential buyer? Probably not. But it is what I have experienced, and I can't depart from that.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
best unsigned band in america right now, October 17, 2006
The album, fantastic. Buy it without hesitation. Get their first album too if you haven't already. This is a truly unique band and if you've just got to experience their manic originality. Every song is a completley new approach.
But far more importantly, NEVER pass up the chance to see these guys play live. It's an experience you won't ever forget. Five guys beating the hell out of a myriad of instruments (some obviously homemade concoctions), leaping around as they switch and trade instruments and all the while keeping absolutely impeccable rhythm and melody. Tight, tight band that's so much fun to watch you feel like you're up on the stage with them. They give it all they've got at every show and they've got a hell of a lot to give. You will be amazed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most interesting and fun music I've heard (and seen) in a long long time, July 23, 2006
Mixing Tom Waits, Zappa, and even a little of Nick Cave, this band is definitely worth a listen. As other reviewers have said, their onstage dynamic carnival of sound and action shouldn't be missed either. This band has FUN, and makes sure their audience does too. I sincerely hope to see them in concert again and a new album soon.
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by Man Man 
