Love them or hate them, one indisputable fact is that Fucked Up are a prolific bunch of musicians with countless releases under their belts...so much so that it can be quite hard for even the most furiously fiendish Fucked Up fanatic to keep up with. As of late it seems this prolificness hasn't been solely contained within the confines of FU. Vocalist Damian has been known to collaborate with members of Attack in Black and Alexisonfire in Bergenfield Four, and more recently FU drummer (and Career Suicide guitarist) Jonah Falco has been playing all the instruments in his one-man band Mad Men. With this demo, Mad Men gives us a fierce brand of American `80s-influenced hardcore punk that would seem to be quite popular within the TOHC scene. If you have somehow become weary with FU's recent lengthy opuses (it's okay, I too have a short attention span), you should be pleasantly surprised that only one out of the five songs here clocks in at more than two minutes.
Immediately, the songs collected here didn't strike me as much as the work from Jonah's other bands did. After a few listens that's when the subtle pieces of his songwriting that weren't instantly registering start to creep up. The juxtaposition between the quickly spit out verses and the lazy tone of the refrain of "too hot, too hot" in opener "Too Hot" (think the "I don't know" in "I Don't Know" by the Replacements) creates feelings of oppression and burden in the listener's mind. While there was little doubt going into the tape that Mad Men would have superb drumming and guitar work, the intro and breakdown of the song prove that Jonah is also quite capable of constructing seriously crucial (hawdcore!) basslines. The stuttering rhythm of "Square Glasses" is another prime example of what separates this demo from becoming just another group of songs by some `80s hardcore revivalists (which has seen quite a resurgence).
All in all, it is a brief, fast, and well-recorded group of songs and when it's at its best, quite memorable. The only downsides are that no lyrics included, but this is just a demo after all; additionally, Jonah's voice might not be the most unique, but hey, my Billy Idol renditions aren't exactly getting garter belts and panties thrown at me; I suppose that isn't the point hereâ¦or is it? If you are fan of his other work I recommend tracking a copy down and keeping an eye open for Mad Men.