As you will all know from reading my blog, I do this for fun. I do it because I love music and because I would like to share good music as I find it. It purely is the satisfaction that my friends comment on the things I write and as a bonus, according to my stats, other people all over the world read it too. But something special has happened recently – two artists have got in touch. One of them was the awesome Alice Gold (read a review of her album here) and the other was the equally special Muchuu.
Muchuu kindly dropped me a note to let me know that their new album is out and to thank me for featuring their first album. There's me my sofa, writing mini-reviews of albums for my audience and without realising it, the reviews are actually being read by the artists themselves. I'll tell you what, that's quite humbling.
Anyway, Milky and George have also very kindly given me a link to listen to their new album so I can review it. Now before you all say "I thought you only reviewed stuff that you put your hard earned cash behind?!", I've bought the album too and hopefully it'll be the one with the limited edition version with their autographs on it (available here).
A couple of things that I think are important to recap are that Muchuu's sound is heavily influenced by their love of all things japanese, and there sound is not only dreamy, it's quite improvised. I think this gives them quite a distinctive sound and fortunately, that has remained.
The music here sounds like a progression from their debut – it sounds like it's matured a little, with an element of refinement and a definitely a feeling of experience. If you like, there's more detail and intricacies.
That isn't to say it is the same as the original. Although there are a couple of tracks that have a hint of a Japanese feel, it is only in passing. This album feels a little bit less dreamy and more focused – but only slightly.
The added experience has enabled Muchuu to really refine their sound and develop it into a more complete experience rather than the experimental, improvised sound of the original.
There's lots I like about this album. Tracks like "River Will Freeze" and "Follow" have a definite hook and the more I listen to it, the more I enjoy it. If I was to add a small bit of criticism, I would have liked Muchuu to have been a bit more adventurous. There's no doubt that these two have some awesome talent but it kinda feels like they're holding back.
They have unquestionably developed and are growing but I can't help but feel there is something extra that they could throw in there.
That said, this is another great album. It's still unique and it still offers some relief from the cookie cut music in the charts.
One last thing, I haven't managed to find the album on they usual sites like HMV and Play. It's on iTunes or direct from their site so if you want it, you'll have to hunt for it.