Open Your Heart

The Men

Open Your Heart

The Brooklyn hardcore outfit release their second album, following up their well-received debut Leave Home

ADM rating[?]

8.1

Label
Sacred Bones
UK Release date
12/03/2012
US Release date
06/03/2012
  1. 10.0 |   A.V. Club

    Compared to Leave Home’s murky smear of scream-fueled, shoegaze-shrouded punk, Open Your Heart is practically a party album
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  2. 10.0 |   Art Rocker

    It’s actually frustrating trying to pinpoint what stands out among Open Your Heart’s spoil of riches, which turns out to be a rather handsome flaw
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  3. 9.1 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    A hardcore album with a pure heart
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  4. 9.0 |   No Ripcord

    An eclectic albeit consistent brand of independent rock n’ roll music
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  5. 9.0 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    A phenomenal record by a band at a creative peak that’s as fully realized and as utterly terrific as the myriad other peaks they’ve hit during their brief but already illustrious career
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  6. 9.0 |   Spin

    An ideal road-trip anthem, whether you are desperately fleeing the city or triumphantly returning
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  7. 9.0 |   The Quietus

    The most thrilling and exciting album of the year thus far and one that demands your immediate attention
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  8. 8.9 |   Beats Per Minute

    A guitar-lover’s record
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  9. 8.5 |   Pitchfork

    Both tremendously physical and friendly, knocking you on your ass one second, then immediately helping you back up to put a beer in your hand
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  10. 8.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    The Men may not be hailed as the genre’s saviors, nor should they be, but here they have done an excellent job as its purveyors
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  11. 8.0 |   Tiny Mix Tapes

    The Men aren’t out to redeem or revitalize guitar-driven rock music; they’re too busy being really awesome at it
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  12. 8.0 |   NME

    Breezier and more tuneful than its predecessor, but this is very relative
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  13. 8.0 |   Under The Radar

    The Men crank it out with such vigor that you'll swear it's back In the day again, and music A) means something, and B) doesn't overthink it
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  14. 8.0 |   Slant Magazine

    While its title counsels open-heartedness, the Men's latest is, like so many breakthrough albums, a testament to the power of open-mindedness
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  15. 8.0 |   BBC

    All in all, rather than insolently demanding your attention as most rock albums do, Open Your Heart possesses a wonderfully self-indulgent, insular quality
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  16. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    It's a spirited distillation of three decades of leftfield rock tactics that has its pretty moments and its fearsome ones
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  17. 8.0 |   All Music

    The Men achieve the elusive balance of growing their sound without diluting the intensity and attitude that made them great in the first place
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  18. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    You’ll hear plenty of reminders of rock’s more adventurous voyagers here – from Hüsker Dü to Sonic Youth via Jesus Lizard and Fugazi – but The Men’s greatest talent is to leave pastiche and homages to one side as they hurtle towards the horizon
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  19. 8.0 |   Uncut

    New York DIY rockers' joyful leap forward. Print edition only

  20. 8.0 |   AU Review

    There are hints of a genre that The Men have subverted, perverted and converted into something awash with a raw, untamed and ebullient energy
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  21. 8.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    Willingness to evolve and The Men’s undeniable competence in fucking with rock genres makes them the best post-hardcore band around
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  22. 7.5 |   Prefix

    An album that purges the nastiness of its predecessor and switches things up enough without sacrificing its power, a template that hopefuly they remember to follow
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  23. 7.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Go draw a bath. You're going to need one after hanging with brooklyn scuzz-noise maniacs the Men
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  24. 7.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    Just as loveably imperfect as its predecessor. The only shame is that it isn’t more so
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  25. 6.0 |   PopMatters

    It’s too watered down to stand the test of time, but right now, it hits the spot
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  26. 6.0 |   Mojo

    New York noiseniks turn up the tunes. Print edition only


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The Men: Open Your Heart

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