“Hope For Men” is hope for rock
Although the moniker of this Allentown, Penn., band will be better left unsaid (just check out the links below for a better idea of what I’m talking about), their major label debut Hope For Men is one that shouldn’t go unnoticed in this collection of 2007 releases. A mushy mess of garage rock, theatrical goth vocals and thrashing punk metal, this Sub Pop release harkens back to the days of Nirvana’s Bleach that purposefully sloughed off mainstream audiences and broke pop sensibilities for noise-driven burnouts.
That’s not to say that singer Matt Korvette will hardly follow in the destined shoes of Kurt Cobain, or that they would even rightfully claim their influence – this reminds more of Henry Rollins or the Jesus Lizard. But this act has a singularly unique focus that couples sardonic condescension of a middle-class, suburban mentality in which only chocolate ice cream can salvage a doldrum day, and the ill-at-ease self-improvement of jogging, racquetball and whole foods, with a penchant for nail-on-the-chalkboard rejection of comfy pop songs.
Reference: MySpace Home Page
Reference: Treble Album Review