The Men they Couldn't Hang split in the early 90s and then returned for this 1996 release. While the peerless harmonies and crashing guitars are immediately recognizable, the celtic influence is toned down in favor of the country rock and roll aspects that have always been there. As such, this makes a great intro to the band for those that prefer the accented style. For the celtophiles, the first few listens might seem a bit disappointing, even if one can get past the sad truth that the title cut is a lacklustre cover of a boring tune from the late 60s, and "the Eye" perpetuates the band's penchant for opening albums with drawn out numbers (the Crest from Waiting for Bonaparte was another example). But "Glittering Prize" is a dandy, a succinct lyrical and musical statement augmented by a killer horn line; "Dennis Law and Ali McGraw" is a delightfully affectionate reflection on the 70s culture from a band that didn't see the light of day until well into the next decade; and "Our Day" shows the quiet protest song is still alive and well. Two shorter largely acoustic numbers, "To Have and To Hold" and "House of Cards" provide further contrast and proof that this version of the Men is as artistically sound as any that came before. If you are wondering what happened after, "Big Six Pack" is best avoided but "Cherry Red Jukebox" is a return to form and even to their Emerald roots.