The M’s - Future Women (Polyvinyl, 2006)

The M’s
Future Women
Polyvinyl
2006

Rating: 7 women on trucker speed out of 10
 
These Chicago kids called The M's have most definitely avoided the sophomore jinx that plagues so many bands, producing a follow-up to their self-titled debut that outperforms it in every way.  They will undoubtedly receive comparisons to the Shins or maybe even the Lilys, as all of these groups seem to be hugely inspired by one of the 1960s biggest acts – The Kinks.  Nothing wrong with that – The Kinks are a legendary band for a reason, and no one here is ripping them off, even though the influence is obvious.  The M’s are also not a bunch of cats who are stuck in the past – they do a mighty fine job of taking that classic sound and writing catchy, modern songs; and if the world made any sense, these songs would be blaring from radio stations across the country.  Unfortunately for them, they don’t have the million-dollar major label push that it requires to get on the FM dial, but I digress.  If you like high-quality pop music, these guys are definitely worth a listen.