The Men's last record, New Moon, was a bit of a diversion for the noise-punk band, leaning more on alt-country and bluegrass than anything too hard or abrasive. It may have had the occasional detractor, but I was a fan, and have to say I sincerely wished the band would journey a little further into the deep dark woods and out of the dive bar. With Campfire Songs, a five-song EP to come through Sacred Bones, The Men have both answered my wishes and lit my spliff for me. Campfire Songs is a short-burner of acoustic tracks that the band recorded while making New Moon up at Big Indian Mountain, and they were written, appropriately, around a campfire. “Turn Your Color”, the first track to release from the EP, is some Zeppelined-out drone that, despite its deep, earnest intentions, puts a goofy smile on my face. Nights of your youth spent haunting a campfire, getting warm by way of flames and tallboys, they all come to mind here. It makes me wonder if this isn't the direction the group should continue to pursue.
Campfire Songs is out on October 15 through Sacred Bones. All tour dates with companionable psych group Purling Hiss are listed below.
October
10 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo (Culture Collide Festival)
12 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs
13 Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar
14 Detroit, MI – The Loving Touch
15 Columbus, OH – Kobo Live
16 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
17 Milwaukee, WI – The Cactus Club
18 Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium
19 Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe Life
20 Toronto, ON – Horshoe Tavern
21 Montreal, QB – Ill Motore
22 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda's
23 Asbury Park, NJ – The Saint
November
05 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
08 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
09 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
