Man of the Year
A New and Greater Tokyo
Tiny Beat Records
Take the voice of Ben Folds, slightly mellowed, combine it with the poppy sound of The Never, and you’d have Portland’s Man of the Year. On A New and Greater Tokyo, Man of the Year deliver a catchy and often annoying album that delivers musically like Good Charlotte.
This quartet has been around for eight years and is slowly gaining airplay around the country because their sound is perfect for modern radio. Their songs are filled with choruses that get ingrained in your head and lyrics that are largely forgettable. Every time I listen to this album, I feel slightly nauseous; when the music stops, not only do I feel better, but I forget pretty much everything that I heard.
The best word to describe A New and Greater Tokyo is safe. They take no chances, lyrically or musically. Every song fits the verse, chorus, verse mold with very little variation, which is quite monotonous. And like Good Charlotte, the songs are catchy in a way that makes one wish they were unconscious or had short-term memory loss.
Unless you are enthralled with what Clear Channel and the rest of modern radio stations are playing, Man of the Year is probably too safe and convenient for you. A New and Greater Tokyo is not a new and greater addition to anyone’s library, unless your favorite band is Good Charlotte.
Man of the Year: http://www.manoftheyearmusic.com
