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# People ‘Misbegotten Man’
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/people-misbegotten-man/
- Published: 2007-08-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T02:31:20.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Emily Skehan*

With song titles like “The Phantasmagoric Energetics Of Our 4-Legged Forbearers,” it’s not surprising that musical duo People have an eccentric sound. However, their second LP “Misbegotten Man” goes beyond experimental and into the realm of the utterly absurd.

With high-pitched, seemingly unplanned vocals straining absentmindedly over random jazz style drumming and frantic guitar melodies, People’s sound starts to resemble a wailing cat trying to get through a kitchen in which small children are playing with pots and pans. The result is a repetitive, random, and eventually painful album that lacks both direction and listenability.

Some melodies do break out of the whirlwind of twanging and tin-can rhythms, and at times lead singer Mary Halvorson’s voice can be pleasing, but this does little to make up for the general absence of decipherable lyrics or musical continuity.

There’s little to be said for the individual songs as they seem to blend into an endless tangle of whining, nouveau-jazz vocals and background guitar noise that has little diversity. However, “But, I Like My Rotten Head” has a less chaotic vibe that comes close to a demented mash up between The Breeders and Cat Power, and is easier on the ears than the other tracks.

While the duo may be considered groundbreaking for their composition, which is admittedly complex, they display more of a maniacal playfulness than an ear for enjoyable sound. “Misbegotten Man” is more migraine inducing than unconventionally brilliant, but if you’ve got a thing for relentless clamor, it’s worth checking out.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/080407-13_02.jpg)

ODD FOLKS: People makes ‘unique’ music together. (Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 4, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080407.pdf?ref=smdp.com)