Planet Notion - Hip-pop / Electro / Calypso

I get a great deal of pleasure out of emptying my bowels. There’s something tranquil about sitting there, reading a few chapters whilst your mind and stomach release their burden. It’s one of the few times you’re ever truly alone; not worrying about the other kind of shit, like work, love and money. So when someone in the office turned their nose-up at Man Like Me’s debut album and said: “They’re a bit like Goldie Lookin Chain” (which roughly translated means (A) they don’t have enough ammo in their repertoire and (B) are a bit of a fad), I remained open-minded. After all, one man’s shit is another man’s gravy.

You only have to look at Man Like Me’s MySpace page, which contains a 14-track download of B-sides and rarities, to realise that they love their music and that a growing legion of fans do too. Add the number of singles the hip-pop band have released, and it’s apparent that they haven’t just blagged their way to an album release. It has taken time, energy, and the carving out of their own distinct electro sound; a carnival atmosphere created via distinct bleeps and beats.

This despite lead-vocalist and song-writer Johnny Langer’s lyrics often exploring the shit state of affairs in modern London. Paint a picture of the night-life in your average suburban town, with chavs pissing up walls and diamond-studded piss-heads having a ruck, and it’s explored on Booze; trials and tribulations of single parenthood are explored on Single Dad, with its calypso drum-beats and brass infusion; whilst 9 Lives appears to explore the cross-road of love and friend-ship in a society littered with sound people and those who live life on the edge. Singles to have made it onto the album include Doughnut, Oh My Gosh and MLM’s latest and most urban release to date, London Town.

As far as albums go, it certainly brings a bit of brightness to an otherwise shitty day. I should know, I work for Planet Notion. Dave Dryden

'Man Like Me: Man Like Me' is released May 11th on Our Time Records. MySpace.Com/ManLikeMe