This is fine.
Polyvinyl friends The M’s recently did a short live set for KEXP Radio. You can download the entire set on the KEXP website or pick and choose songs you like. If you’ve read our review of the band’s most recent album Real Close Ones, you know we can’t get enough of the M’s.
Rating: 
When this album bounced its way into my mailbox, I have to admit that I didn’t really know what to expect from The M’s, a Chicago based quartet. Their last effort, Future Women, felt sort of scattered to me, but it definitely had a few upsides as a whole. I figured this album would at least meet the same level.
Album opener, “Big Sound,” definitely steps up this album from the get-go. The pounding drums and fuzzy guitars grab your attention, drawing you closer in as you listen for–wait, are those horns? Indeed! Nice move. This moves right into “Breakfast Score,” which sounds familiarly like another famous Chicago band–Wilco. It’s hard to go wrong there.
By the middle of the album, I had already found a few favorites–the sort of songs I would easily put on a mix-tape for a friend. Lyrically, I think one of my favorite songs is “Ultraviolent Men,” where the band encourages us to “let them fight it out,” which kind of hits at home with my own pacifism during current circumstances.
The one thing that does hold this album back is the inconsistency. I like a band that is willing to try new things or explore other paths, but this band goes off a bit too much. They can’t seem to get one sound together, and I know that is probably on purpose, but it is the one thing that irks me here.
“Days in the Sun,” definitely recalls Village Green era-Kinks, with careful melodies, accompanied by gentle guitar strumming and light piano. It’s pure 60s pop; a nod to one of my favorite eras, making this my favorite track on the album.
This album has its faults, but in its entirety, it’s definitely listenable, and at times, quite memorable. Perfect for a refreshing day basking in the sun.
Take a listen to the album’s single “Don’t Be Late” :
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/dontbelate.mp3]