Buyer Beware

“When you gonna stop running” The Men demand to know in the opening line of “Pony,” the blistering first track and lead single from the New York rock quartet’s album, Buyer Beware. Make no mistake-this is no sign of an existential crisis, but rather a call to arms for a band that has never stood still for very long. By their own count, Buyer Beware is their 15th album since their debut We Are The Men (2009), and their 4th for Fuzz Club following New York City (2023), Fuzz Club Sessions No. 20 (2023), and Manhattan Fire (2024). But this doesn’t count the limited tapes (like ‘Live in Zagreb’), singles or splits – so you might as well stop trying to count. The Men have a work ethic as old school as their rock roots, yet despite the hustle they never appear to be rushing, a contradiction that somehow naturally resolves itself through their music, reconciling with Zen-like balance the raw fury of punk rock with the minimalist austerity of Steve Reich (or, outside of music, Mark Rothko). Buyer Beware marks The Men’s fifth collaboration with recording engineer Travis Harrison (Guided by Voices, Built to Spill) who, at this point, is finely attuned to the nuances of the group’s dynamics-Nick Chiericozzi (guitar/vocals), Kevin Faulkner (bass), Mark Perro (guitar/vocals), and Rich Samis (drums). Recording direct to tape, Harrison captures the raw, confrontational fever of their stage shows without sacrificing their introspective undercurrents. The result is undoubtedly their most aggressive album since Leave Home (2011), and their most psychedelic since Immaculada (2010). But Buyer Beware is no mere return to their roots – The Men have always moved forward while remaining true to themselves. A clarion call for troubled times signaled by its title, ‘Buyer Beware’ finds The Men tackling questions both personal and political, their sound and vision never more primal or apocalyptic.