In time, seven years is a good stretch. In music however it can feel like a lifetime. While Man Man has always been a joyous music project, their return album Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is a magical ride. Mixing indie pop with Honus Honus’ signature voice, the seventeen track double album reveals that while the band was gone for a while, having music was never the issue.

Because the album is so dense, it seems best not to do a track by track rundown. Though the opening sequence on “Dreamers” has all of the playful noodling of what you’d expect from this outfit. The mix of piano and toy piano, the rush of orchestral movements and the cinematic qualities make the song the perfect opener. Of course the quick jaunt is followed by the “hit song” feel of “Cloud Nein.” Here Honus begins the journey with tones that sway between The Beatles and Apples in Stereo. There’s a note of grandiose here with the backing choral vocals but it works and steers from feeling ostentatious. While the piano gets its ivories tickled on “Lonely Beuys” and “Future Peg” offers more pop underpinnings that give way to a larger sound, the album also has these softer moments that help round things out.

“Hunters” sashays between heartfelt melodies to a happy-go-lucky pacing, “Animal Attraction” has just enough up notes to keep the slower stride within the confines of the well orchestrated feel of the album. And of course, the almost Sha Na Na vibes of “Powder My Wig” lean heavily into a time when piano was the lead and vocal harmonies were celebrated rather than created by an engineer. The hypnotic gaze of “The Prettiest Song in the World,” the television themed notes of “Sheela” and the delicate key stroked sounds of “Swan” all show that this album is Man Man at their best. But with these subtle stabs where you wonder if the album is the original score to an upcoming Broadway musical, there’s some real gems in a world of sparkling stones. Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between might be Man Man at their most creative, even if it took seven years to get here.

Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is available for physical purchase on multiple formats and bundles from Sub Pop Records. The album can be streamed wherever you stream music or purchased digitally wherever you download it.

Image Credits: Photo by Dan Monick.