The Men - Open Your Heart (Vinyl LP, CD)

Causing a bit of controversy in the office, this one. Business Lady insists it's a disappointment compared to their initial blast of dirgey noise pop, since the '90s pop-rock vibes are really pushed to the fore this time round. Opener 'Turn It Around' is a crashing statement of intent, sounding like a rocket fuelled take on the early Foo Fighters sound which isn't too far removed from the underrated Pregnant, if you've heard them. If not, well, I'm sure you've heard the Foos. This album is split between power-pop thumpers like this and more squalling noise-based tracks like we encountered on the first record. 'Animal' has a total Status Quo rock'n'roll backbone but then that's splattered with Love Battery-esque slide guitar and Circus Lupus-style vocals. It disintegrates manically with squalling guitars towards the end before kicking back in for a big ending. Yeah, this is the sound of a band upping their game because there's a whiff of breakthrough potential in the air, but what's left is a tight, ferocious, concise collection of pop songs with sheets of noise spewed all over them. BL compared it to the most recent Fucked Up record which I agree with...both bands are getting more ambitious and making more epic and radio-friendly albums, both are increasingly obviously influenced by The Who, both flit between noisy psychedelic experimentalism and power-pop...the difference between me and her is that I'd say it as a compliment. Actually, get Pink Eyes to sing over the chiming, pounding, krauty jam of Oscillation and it'd be a Fucked Up song. They've upped their game but they've sanded off some of the rougher edges in the process, the neanderthal bludgeoning of their debut replaced by a slick, poised aesthetic with massive walls of grungy guitar and a more melodically focused approach to songwriting. It doesn't have the breakneck grit of the debut but in my opinion that's been replaced with something more rounded and satisfying. I'm impressed anyway.