May Or May Not Takes You on a Bike Ride

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 15, 2006 1:30PM

Chicagoist has lots of friends (we pay them), but few of them are as able to turn our frowns upside down like former Ctrl-Alt-Rock popsters May or May Not, who put the wraps on a week of CD release shenanigans tomorrow night at Hideout.

Chicagoist was a big fan of the band’s debut, and though we realize it sounds like an insult to say that MOMN provides more of the same on their Bike EP, it’s apropos. The same chiming guitars, royal court horns and naked lyrical optimism are all over this record.

Bike is fifteen minutes of let’s-get-the-hell-out-of-the-office-and-start-the-weekend jams. Not in a Loverboy way, mind you. But in a way that suggests there is nothing but good times ahead whether you’re with a party girl who has to be at “Work By Nine” or a free wheelin’ “Bike” messenger.

We expressed similar sentiments about a track on their debut album, but we wish we heard “Drown In The Sun” back in June because we’d have rallied for its status as the Official Summer Song of Chicago. We’re also expecting that the Brian Wilson estate will soon be suing the MOMN crew for stealing so many of his sun-kissed harmonies for “Holiday (I Need A).”

Their Sparks-fueled live show is a joy to behold so catch them tomorrow at Hideout with Driftless Pony Club at 9 p.m. Cover is $8 and includes dance grooves from the Life During Wartime DJs.