Customer Reviews

Six Demon Bag

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Man Man are a rock band that play bizarre of kilter music in the tradition of tom waits, Zappa,Beefheart, and the residents.
They are also one of the most manically fun bands i have heard in a long time. by taking the influence of the above mentioned artists, and throwing in a degree of unabashed love for music Man Man have created a gypsy-rock carnival that is undeniably catchy. "black mission goggles" does indeed sound like a reworking of "come together" as sung by tom waits, but once it gets to the kids choir chorus youre so into the song that it doesnt matter. On paper man man borrows alot from other bands but they clearly have an energy all their own. the bands more sensitive side is shown on the track "van helsing boombox", this upbeat song finds the singer baring his soul about loyalty to a clearly doomed relationship. by making me feel and making me want to dance, i can safely say man man's album was money well spent.

zappa, beefheart, waits...yes, one can hear those artists present, but really, how many kids today know about all that? this is a weird record. and this is why i like it. they are not afraid to take chances. now if they could only concentrate on writing better "songs". i know the focus is on the manic live shows, but ultimately an act is remembered for their actual audio product. this is all that lasts. was big star a great live show? was neu!? who cares! they still matter thirty years on. why? the songs. that said, give this twisted effort a chance and you may just be singing like a drunken viking by morning.

Upbeat festive viking gypsy balladeers with an aboriginal touch. When they hit a town near you, it's worth every gallon of gas to get to the show! This music is the wave of the future.

This cd is as good as Blue Turban or Rabbit Habits. Meaning - it's really frikkin good.
And to the man "Cristoph" - who compared Black Mission Goggles to Come Together - shame on you.
You can't compare something as wonderful as Man Man to something as GENERIC and UTTERLY USELESS as the Beatles.
That really hurt my feelings.

I love all of the Man Man albums, but I think their best album is Six Demon Bag. Best tracks in my opinion are: Van Helsing Boombox, Feathers, Ice Dogs, Tunneling through the Guy, and Engwish Bwudd. That list should be a pretty good representation of what they do best.

As other reviewers suggest, see a live show if you can, but I think their studio albums are great as well.

I've yet to find a band that really compares to Man Man, mostly because they fuse rock, alt. pop, ballads, jazz, heavy percussion, and random instrumentation with energetic and tasteful screaming/singing/chanting. There is a great deal of songwriting talent here, but don't expect all their tracks to cater to pop formulas. At first, some of their music seems chaotic and unpredictable, but the more you listen, the more it gets in your head in a good way.

I can't suggest this group enough to anyone that appreciates creative and energetic music.

I had heard of a few Man Man songs before and some of my friends raved about them, but seeing them live changes everything. I had heard some songs off their latest CD (Top Drawer, Poor Jackie) and I assure you that its not just the newer stuff that's worth hearing. All of their CD's are the type that you WANT to listen to in order and in its entirety. I'd go so far as to say this CD gets better as it goes along (well, my favorite song is the last one).

We saw Man Man open for Modest Mouse, and they were amazing! Blew Modest Mouse out of the water. The CD didn't disappoint.