the men // "ex-dreams"

by jared silva
02.21.12

One of the best bands to make their break in 2011 was Brooklyn-based punk quartet The Men with their first big label LP Leave Home.  It has the hoarse shrieking, chaotic wall of noise, and destructive energy that makes a great punk record, but mixed with trippy, psychedelic layering to make a real one-of-a-kind album. And in less than a year’s time, The Men have already made their next album set to release very soon, Open Your Heart. Their first single of the same name was released a couple of weeks ago and have shown off a very new kind of sound. Continuing the trend, this past Friday, another track leaked out from the album called “Ex-Dreams.”

As Open Your Heart‘s closer, “Ex-Dreams” starts as an instrumental piece showcasing their intense psychedelic soundscapes and high energy they’re now known for. There is a noticeable difference in the overall sound though, as it strays a bit away from the punk sensibilities and into a more accessible garage rock style. It’s still loud as hell, but not nearly as much. Instead of just hearing a pure wall of noise, pieces like the guitar melodies and more detailed sounds are easier to pick up. The song stays consistently strong for a couple minutes, then unexpectedly all the instruments drop out except for a kick-heavy drum beat and light, drone synth. The beat backs up a few vocal lines, which are also noticeable cleaner then any previous Men track, and picks up right back where it began, amps set to 11.

“Ex-Dreams” repeats this method once more before it eventually fades out and end the album. It’s a good closer to a hopefully awesome album and it definitely gives that sense of completion while still wanting to listen to the album again and again. The wait will soon be over though once Open Your Heart comes out in two weeks, March 6th.

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Listen to more from The Men now, via Spotify.