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6/17/12

Album Review: Men Without Hats “Love In the Age of War” (Cobraside Records)


Men Without Hats - but wearing a hat

I’ll put it on the table that Men Without Hats “Rhythm of Youth” and “Folk of the 90’s P.III” are 80’s classics that should be just as revered as Human League’s “Dare” or New Order’s “Low Life.” Those MWH albums were full of 3 minute synth pop tracks with catchy hooks and choruses built for singing along with. The younguns probably only know MWH by “Safety Dance” but there were several other good songs on those albums that didn’t hit the radio. While there have been MWH hats albums since, one included another favorite song of mine, “Pop Goes the World,” none of them captured the synth pop glory that those first two albums did.
Now some 30 years later Men Without Hats is back with a new record, “Love In the Age of War” that harkens back on those seminal synth pop gems and adds another 10 songs that re-establish them as they should be recognized, as New Wave Synth royalty. The album kicks off strong with the near-Devo “Devil Come Round” and lead singer Ivan Doroschuk’s vocals come in sounding like they haven’t aged a day. “Head Above Water” follows with a quicker pop beat. Along with the melodies come a fresh sense of optimism and positivity towards life laced with politics and dancing.
Like recent releases by OMD and Devo, Men Without Hats prove they can still put out competent new material that should please old fans and hopefully capture some new ones.

This Post by Mikel O.D. of