Open Your Heart - The Men
User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22

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  1. BouillonG
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    Open Your Heart is simply amazing. Sure, these guys haven't figure out their style yet and there is a lot of exploration genre-wise. But here is the fact : there is not one single bad or boring song on this record. It shows a major progression in comparison with its predecessor, Leave Home, and the best is yet to come for The Men. In the mean time, they have just released one of the beast album this year so far.… Expand
  2. j30
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    The unpredictable Open Your Heart by The Men shows the band's range without going off track too much, it's enthralling to listen to. The opening track sounds like it could be a Foo Fighters track, but then the album veers into progressive, instrumental bliss.
  3. dartagnan
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    I don't know who gave this album a low score I can only imagine they must be dead.Sometimes "Open Your Heart" reminds me of the Wipers, sometimes it reminds me of Mission of Burma but it always reminds me of how great Rock and Roll can be!!! I'm kind of afraid to play this in my car, I'm not sure I could handle the speeding ticket.
  4. PersonPitch
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    Despite its consistency, Open Your Heart is a hard record to pin down. It jumps from idea to idea confidently, allowing you a brief moment of skepticism before kicking you in the teeth with another fantastic melody or riff. It sounds like the band is more assured in their experimentation and they prove they can work out a five or six minute instrumental jam without losing focus or listener attention, a welcome improvement over Leave Home. This album gives the impression The Men have grown into their sound, manifesting in a unique and entertaining listen not quite like anything else I've heard this year.… Expand
  5. celticpunk0212
    Mar 26, 2012
    9
    Breath of sweaty, gritty rock n roll air! While these guys aren't reinventing rock and they aren't saviours, this is a great rock record. For those like myself approaching 40, I've become jaded with hyped reviews and subpar bands. I think what makes this record so refreshing is that while you can hear classic influences such as Sonic Youth, The Stooges, Dinosaur Jr., Stiff Little Fingers, and the Replacements, they never seem to completely ape these bands. They just crank out honest rock and roll filled with a diverse array of buzzsaw riffs, squalling solos, but also bits of melody and building.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Mojo
    Apr 19, 2012
    60
    A more tasteful affair [than Leave Home], tapping into the 1980s underground's collegiate, powerpop end... plus straight-ahead rock-n-roll holler. [May 2012, p.82]
  2. Delusions of Adequacy
    Apr 19, 2012
    90
    With amps that are allowed to breathe with static and reverb, drums that clatter against a harsh delivery and with vocals that are unhinged and undeterred, the 'raw' adjective is a fitting superlative.
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  3. PopMatters
    Apr 18, 2012
    60
    This album is worth a listen. It's too watered down to stand the test of time, but right now, it hits the spot.
    Read full review
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