Self-described as an indie-rock band for the weary masses, MAN LEE is based in Brooklyn, formed by way of I-95. Songwriters and namesake of the band Sam Reichman and Tim Lee began writing together while living between Richmond, D.C, and Baltimore before finding their collaborators back in New York. Reichman’s vocals range from tight bedroom pop to wailing vibrato, depending on the required level of interplay with Lee’s ever-fuzzy guitar expressions. Their lyrics conjure Cibo Matto’s openness and CAKE’s blunt charm.
MAN LEE’s “Celery” is a playfully intimate piece of art-rock with stunning songwriting and unpredictable sonics. The duo’s latest single hints at the wide range the band can play with as they blend pop-leaning keys with searing guitar melodies and moments of strained passion. It can be easy to get lost in the arrangement of “Celery.” The band leans on unpredictability, allowing their lofty visions to creep through more conventional moments, but MAN LEE’s songwriting is the real star of the show. The lyrics rush at you like when you wake up with a mile-long to-do list, capturing the weight of responsibility and forcing it into simpler terms. “Celery” is a quick yet potent single created by a band on its own terms. MAN LEE takes the mundane and makes it unconventional via a warping arrangement for a single that will have you sprinting to hear more of what the duo offers.
“Much of the album stems from the feeling of being resigned to our fates, though not disappointed. Just acknowledging what it is, where expectations have been met or not—right or wrong—and moving on,” the band explains.
