MEN WITHOUT HATS NO HATS BEYOND THIS POINT ALBUM CLOUD 9 RELEASE: MAY, 2003 REVIEW: MAY 20, 2003

Men Without Hats will always have a special place in my heart. If nothing else, then at least for all those late nights we used to spend dancing drunkenly to them in our underwear. And early songs like "Antarctica", "I Got the Message" and perfect pop single "The Safety Dance" still make me smile from just thinking about them. So, it's no doubt that at a time when a lot of early electronic music gets reevaluated and discovered by a new generation, Men Without Hats should definitely deserve some renewed attention.
But whether the world is really in need of a brand new album is an entirely different question. I've always tried to stay clear of nostalgia, and I'm afraid nostalgia would be the only reason for getting anything out of "NHBTP" (meaning "No Hats Beyond This Point"...). Singer Ivan's voice has kept it's charm, and the music is bouncy enough to keep me interested. But only for a short while. The nursery rhyme-simple melodies and a production thin like air make me grow weary in absolutely no time at all.
I hope I'll get to party half-naked to Men Without Hats more times. But it will definitely not be to any of the songs on this album.

KRISTOFFER NOHEDEN