Always thought this band was pretty swell. Have a couple of their 7"s and their first LP and liked their take on the gloomy Portland sound of legends like The Wipers. This record sounds more involved, the instrumentation sees more intricate and though out. The contrast between this and their last LP is like Richard Gere falling for the whore in Pretty Woman; at first he wanted some company and some poon tang, but now he wants to treat her right and invest his patience and time. Although the music seems more intricate and darker, this album just didn't grab me like the first one did. No songs really stand out but I mean it's not bad, it just seems more like a record I would put on in the background while furiously searching for internet porn that does not contain anal. Good tunes, good production, just something missing, I think the first record did the gloomy punk thing well by also incorporating hooks. This record "The Subliminal Man" just ends up not being as entertaining as "Cinderella Man" or nearly as enjoyable as "Juwanna Man". I will say however that it's far better than "Family Man".-Davey
3/5
Download: http://nooptionsrecords.blogspot.com/2010/08/estranged-subliminal-man-lp-new-dark.html
