Regular readers of this site know that we’ve had a pretty tumultuous relationship with Man Man, one of the city’s most talked-about bands. But, if nothing else, Philebrity has an open mind, just one, shared equally among the staff on an as-needed basis. Yesterday, Man Man released Rabbit Habits, what is looking to be its breakout record on the Anti- label. After the jump, check out an exclusive slideshow of the band’s sold-out show last night at the Starlight Ballroom by Dan Murphy, plus a back-and-forth real time review of the record from Doug Wallen and Joey Sweeney.

DW: Let’s do this thing!

JS: OK, should we synchronize music? I have Rabbit Habits, the new album by Man Man, cued up on my iTunes. With God as my witness, I have not heard a single note of it yet.

DW: I have heard it and even professed my fondness for it. With that said, let’s synch up.

JS: 3…2…1…. GO!

DW: OK

JS: OK, so you’re gonna be my tripmaster here. First track: “Mister Jung Stuffed.” Man, they don’t wait long to bust out the Teletubbies voices, do they?

DW: It’s got this sideways singalong surf thing going. I meant singsong but singalong works too.

JS: I have to say, though, this has a beat, and handclaps! I have this awful feeling I’m going to like this record.

DW: They’re like a cartoon where someone runs so fast their feet are a circular blur. The lyrics are kinda romantic.

JS: And before we go any further, let’s be clear: I’ve never said I didn’t like Man Man — I just thought they were more of a live band like Phish or the Dead, and shouldn’t make records. Which is actually high praise. I think we can all agree that the human race is clearly post-album now, right?

DW: That’s heresy. Albums are essential. But yeah, I can see only wanting Man Man to exist live. That’s where they thrive. But I’ve only thought the records were nice and dark and sad and cryptic and really a whole different realm than the band live.

JS: Next up: “Hurly / Burly.” I like that this album seems to have some of the momentum the live show has. And in this track, it actually sounds like Honus Broner (that’s his IM name, girls) is SINGING, as opposed to that nasty pantomime he was doing on the older records.

DW: Ouch dude. But yeah, I agree about the singing. It’s less like a bark and, okay, maybe less derivative too.

JS: What are you ouching?

DW: Nasty pantomime

JS: Well, that’s what it was! At any rate, the past is the past. But still, I cannot BELEIVE I am liking this record! It’s going so fast!

DW: IT’S BRISK BABY! Those xylophones? Sounds good considering they made it on their own, pre-Anti-. So was that song inspired by the play/movie Hurly/Burly? Spelled the same way.

JS: Next track: “The Ballad Of Butter Beans.” People who have kids need to play this record for their kids. This shit is like the new They Might Be Giants.
Anti- should market this record directly to “Grups.”
This is fucking crazy, this record is actually really, really GOOD. I can’t believe it’s The Ballad Of Butter Beans!

DW: Agreed. Toddlers would go nuts to this song. It’s their “POP ALBUM”

JS: Whoa now. This is not pop. This is like psychotic not-Jewish klezmer for kids who have hefros like they were anyway. But I’ll tell you what, this is some good vegan maztoh ball soup.

DW: Witch-y lyrics: “pigs feet and snake piss / crow tongue and cat face”

JS: Little kids don’t listen to the lyrics.

DW: THE WORLD NEEDS MORE KLEMZER
They still sound like STOMP though.

JS: Next up: “Big Trouble.” Loving the horn section here. Oompa-loompas rejoice!

DW: LET’S POLKA! Weird psuedo slo-mo polka vibe here.

JS: OK, this one has a little of the ol’ Tom Waits/Cookie Monster jive back again, but it’s — and again, I cannot believe I’m saying this — used more wisely. They’re picking their musical battles.

DW: This is the Waits-iest one yet
“I’m a zombie”

JS: I’M A ZOMMM-BAYYYY!

DW: Songs about black magic and zombies are always good in my book.
Digging the horns.

JS: If only their old lame publicist could see me now! I am Saul on the road to Damascus. Mind-blowing.

DW: You are converted! You are their number one fan! YOU LUUUUUVVVVVVVVV THEM! This kinda sounds like that old song “Fever.” But instead of saying “Fever” he says he’s a ZOMMMMBAYYYY

JS: Better, much better. I also like the little dirty electric piano licks. Next up: “Doo Right.” I already know I like this because I am having this weird old man doo wop phase right now, and Honus is right there with me.

DW: “You fuck like a mule”: lyric on that last song. Wait, actually, i think track 5 is “Mysteries of the Universe Unraveled” — 6 is Doo Right. This song sounds JUST like Dr. Dog and nothing like Man Man.

JS: Shit, that was awesome. “Easy Eats Or Dirty Doctor Galapagos” is on now. Reminding me everything I didn’t like about this band before. Oh, we have different track orders, weird.

DW: WE ARE NOT SYNCED UP!

JS: Some tripmaster you are.

DW: What sort of pirate bootleg junk you got?

JS: I GOT IT FROM DRYW!

DW:Let’s go back to “Mysteries” and go from there with the proper track listing (mine).
He’s been passing bum Man Man records around town for years, dawg

JS: Like Van Morrison said, it’s too late to stop now! My funky track order has “Harpoon Fever (Queequeg’s Playhouse).”

DW: Okay I’ll start that one.

JS: Which sounds like Man Man covering “Keep ‘Em Separated” by the Offspring. Is Rabbit Habits losing steam? Mon dieu.

DW: Piano, bongos, cult singing, surf guitar, backup singers….CHECK
YOU GOTTA KEEP EM SEPARATED!

JS: You know, that’s what they used to say about me and Honus.

DW:THEY DID NOT USED TO SAY THAT SIR!

JS: More psycho klezmer in the outro to this one, too, which I like.

DW: Yeah, this one loses some momentum. of course it is track 8. Like the surf guitar though.

JS: “El Azteca”: Oh shit this one is like all sexxxxxxy. And robotic. Like that Flight of the Conchords jam.

DW: Is it named after the Mexican joint on Chestnut St?
.
JS: I can only hope so.

DW: It does sound like the Conchords. All burpy and gurgling and robot-y
Not digging this one so far

JS: I hope they do a digi-solo: 000011110001010101010101010101.
No? I like it! Next up: Oh man, the TITLE TRACK! Here we go, were gonna find out what it’s all about here.

DW: It’s like they’ve time-warped from 18th century to THE FUTURE
“Don’t you dare say that you weren’t warned that the end was coming soon”: opening lyric

JS: Man, this is great. Honus is singing, the pianos sound great.

DW: Pretty and kinda orchestral, this one.
Love the piano. Honus is a human at last. He is officially no longer a lycanthrope.
Sounds like the quiet song in a musical. This one also reminds me of Dr. Dog: the piano and singing and absence of carny-ness.

JS: Gorgeous. Next up: “Top Drawer.” Getting that old awful vibe again, tripmaster! Bring me down!

DW: GROWL GROWL GROWL

JS: Yeah, this is some bad Faith No More shit. Pass.

DW: Catchy but awfully throaty singing. Barbershop revival? Okay, let’s move on.

JS: But to be fair, this is the only time I’ve even had the impusle to skip ahead. Which, 11 tracks in, is saying something.

DW: Good point. So “Poor Jackie”?

JS: OK. Starts out with a very Valerie Project-ish fiddle intro. This is song will also be more than 8 minutes long, I’m told.

DW: PS “Top Drawer” is listed on the promo sleeve as a “stand-out track.” “Big Trouble” too. WHERE IS THE LOVE FOR BUTTER BEANS?

JS: Anti and Vagrant fuck up almost every record they put out, what can I say?

DW: I thought I put on Fern Knight by mistake!
BUTTER BEANS FOR PRESIDENT!

JS: Whoa, correct me if I’m wrong: This is a “character study” song, which is something of a departure for Man Man?

DW: Nah, they’re all like that. About chicks surrounded by fucked up spooky shit.
And death. They’re all about death too.
track listing, so you have it: http://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Habits-Man/dp/B0014DC00A/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1207765688&sr=8-3

JS: Oh, pardon me then. But I guess the point I am heading towards here is that the band seems to be actively trying to burn off all the gimmicky shit of the earlier records. They wanna grow. You can hear it.

DW: Agreed! I like the part about seeing a shallow grave in the girl where everyone else sees a sexy body.

JS: What a weird thing in 2008, for a band to actually want to GROW. And actually do it!

DW: This is probably my favorite song after Butter Beans

JS: I’m still reeling from “Doo Right.”

DW: Maybe they were sick of everyone bringing up the Waits/Beefheart thing.

JS: Shit, I myself was sick of bringing it up.

DW: So, last track? Whale Bones?

JS: Here we go.

DW: This is the official “coming down” song. No vocals for a while.

JS: Yeah, there’s definitely a roll-credits vibe.

DW: Please take your trash with you as you leave the theater… Quiet jazzy instrumentation.

JS: But - and I think we can wrap it up here - there’s not a helluva lotta trash on this record. I can honestly say I will listen to this again. Shocking!

DW: I’m glad to see you step in the Man Man fold. It’s not a bad place to be. I can’t wait to see your mustache.

JS: Puberty’s just around the corner for this young chappy. See you at the bar, Dougers!

For more photos by Dan Murphy, visit mandurphy.com.
And check out more Philebrity slideshows here.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 5:23 pm.