Men Women & Children - 'Men Women & Children' (Reprise) Released 24/04/06

A bands debut single needs to be a signal of intent, an introduction to the band, their sound, style and what to expect from their future. If the song is good enough people will be able to declare their love for the artist after spending just three minutes in their company. Men Women & Children know this and have ticked all the boxes with ‘Dance In My Blood’, their debut single, and the opening track to their eponymous debut album. It’s the soundtrack to the apocalypse, however in the world of MW&C the end of the world is no time to mourn and be down, it’s the perfect setting for a party! The chorus consists of the simple mantra of “You don’t need a reason to get out on the dance floor, and we can get it on all night long”. As far as signals of intent go this is a big fluorescent flashing light.

Musically the backroom staff of this album has worked with the likes of Bright Eyes, New Order and Weezer which though impressive is slightly misleading as to the direction this band takes. Sonically MW&C are most reminiscent of Head Automatica, AKA Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw’s side project. The links between MW&C and Head Automatica seem even more relevant when you learn that Todd Weinstock, is a member of both Glassjaw and MW&C.

Back to the music and MW&C continue with increasingly camp electro meets 70’s disco classics. They sound like the missing link between Scissor Sisters and At The Drive In, a link we have all been looking for. ‘Who Found Mr Fabulous’ is a string laden funk track riddled with disco beats, shifting frantically between Brazilian style drums, jazzy guitars and vocals seemingly induced by very tight trousers. The pace of the album is relentless, 100 mph from the very start. Men Women & Children have come to party and they are dragging everyone onto the dance floor by the scruff of the neck.

Ultimately this album isn’t going to change anyone’s life, it won’t comfort you at three in the morning and it won’t be the soundtrack to David Attenborough’s next TV series. What it will do however is kick start any party, it renders the skip button redundant and turn those who are “Just staying for an hour or so” into John Travolta style disco Gods. It’s a short, sharp, exciting blast of OTT, camp fun. What the hell else do you want?