Mister Heavenly

There are a few indie rock types that I'm genuinely fond of...one of them is Ryan Kattner, aka Honus Honus from Man Man. I wrote one of the first reviews of Man Man's first album and caught them playing in front of about 20 people, early on, at the Flywheel. (They practically burnt the place down.) Now they're a lot bigger, but Ryan's always been really nice to me...I've interviewed him twice so far, and I'd do it again any time.

I also have to say that I don't get the hostility that this band seems to generate, among certain kinds of music fans (I believe I'm the only one at Dusted who doesn't hate them fiercely). Sure Man Man is theatrical, and I think that riles up some people who think they like genuine-ness over artifice. But, holy shit, all music is theater. Man Man just takes it a little further, and anyway, it's fun to watch.

Man Man has fallen somewhat off my radar lately, mostly due to success (they're on Anti-, whose people have never been very impressed with my credentials, such as they are). I still haven't heard the new one. However, I do have a copy of the new Mister Heavenly, a side project of Kattner's with Nick Thornburn from Islands (and, if you want to go back a little further, Unicorns) and Joe Plummer from Modest Mouse. It's a bit more indie and less frenetic than Man Man, but not so terribly different. The new record, called Out of Love is coming in late August on Sub Pop.

Here's "Bronx Sniper"