By Matthew Sotlar / The Jambar
After three years of radio silence, Canadian new wave and synth pop icons Men Without Hats are back and better than ever with their ninth studio album, “On the Moon.”
Hailing from Montreal, Men Without Hats was founded in 1977 as a punk rock band by Ivan Doroschuk, who has remained at the brim of the hat ever since with his iconic baritone that encouraged the world to dance with 1983’s smash hit “The Safety Dance.”
The band’s debut EP, “Folk of the 80s,” was released in 1980 with little to no fanfare. It wasn’t until two years later that their debut album, “Rhythm of Youth,” produced the earworm “The Safety Dance.” Men Without Hats stagnated following this. Despite one final Billboard Top 20 hit, “Pop Goes the World” in 1987, the world turned its back on Men Without Hats.
For almost 50 years, Men Without Hats have offered up fun, bouncy synth pop, far different from its contemporaries, such as Gary Numan and New Order, but not all that dissimilar to Wang Chung and Devo.
“On the Moon” is no different. Doroschuk’s low, booming voice still carries the gawky synth pop riffs on tracks such as “I Love the ‘80s,” which evokes the spirit of “The Safety Dance” while hearkening back to the decade where Men Without Hats reigned.
A standout track, “In Glorious Days,” is reminiscent of the 1983-85 era of Depeche Mode. Despite being darker with more introspective lyrics, the song easily displays the playful seriousness of Men Without Hats.
“If You Try” and “Run Away” are cosmic dancers. Arpeggiated synth leads and a sonic style transport the tracks from the hyper-energetic dancefloor to a serene starry night, particularly in the latter track, which also stands out alongside “In Glorious Days” as a retro-electro classic.
The French “A Cause De To” — “Because of You,” summons the spirit of Serge Gainsbourg. A soft, compelling track with a laid-back feel, it sits alongside the cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” as worthy final songs to a fine album.
Doroschuk and his keyboard wizard brother, Colin, remain the final members of the original lineup to be involved with “On the Moon.” Guitarist Sho Murray appeared in 2016, replacing James Love, who’d been with the band since 2010. In addition, Adrian White took control of the drum kit in 2018, despite Men Without Hats utilizing mostly drum machines and programmers.
The group’s first album in three years, “On the Moon,” is a standout in Men Without Hats’ catalog. Where other ‘80s acts tend to fade away after their initial success, the band has not wavered. They keep churning out albums with an ‘80s feel, even if the decade ended 35 years ago.
Men Without Hats continues to perform, appearing in ‘80s nostalgia concerts alongside acts such as Wang Chung and Naked Eyes, and show no signs of slowing down — reeling in the infectious energy they produced with smash hits such as “The Safety Dance.”