Totally Michael [Official Site, Myspace] is a dangerous name to give oneself as a music releasing entity. It begs, just BEGS, for reviewers (such as myself) to go Spinal Tap in their reviews. If Shark Sandwich is a “Shit Sandwich” then is Totally Michael “Totally Shit”?
But part of this reviewer gig is actually listening to the music. And (somewhat sadly for the sake of this review) it doesn’t suck. Is it good? I think that depends on the mood you’re in. Totally Michael is ADD music (resisting the temptation to coin the phrase ADDcore) much like Dan Deacon. It’s played on cheap keyboards, made on computers, and is insufferably sweet (think high fructose corn syrup sweet); play it to a depressed person and they’ll probably go and off themselves. Play it to a kid in high school and Totally Michael will like, totally be their new favorite band.
You know what I’d like to see? Totally Michael and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone join up in a cheap keyboard super group. It would be interesting and you know, it just may work. Perhaps Totally Michael’s overly caffeinated pop bounce would be somewhat mollified by the perpetually hangdog Casiotone. And likewise, maybe Totally Michael could get Casiotone to stop moping and cut loose once in awhile. To me, these two bands seem like the two sides to the same coin, a musical Janus. Another comparison to throw out there; Girl Talk. If he wrote original music it would sound a lot like Totally Michael.
Possibly the easiest comparison to make for Totally Michael is one that Michael totally makes himself; Blink 182. If you grew up secretly liking Blink 182 (and I did) then you’ll probably at least tolerate Totally Michael and maybe even really dig him. He’s a one-man bedroom indie version of Blink with cheap keyboards. If you’re the type of person who cheered when you saw that Travis Barker’s plane crashed, then you’ll probably want to avoid Totally Michael.
Score: 4/5 (if you like Blink 182 or are in High School)
Actual Score: 2/5 (if you don’t or aren’t)
“Casual Satisfaction” (Hot Pink Delorean Remix) [mp3]
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2 comments for “Totally Michael – Totally Michael Review”
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seriously? Cheering to someone’s death is comparable to this album? You’ve reached a rock bottom low.
Actually, what the quote was this:
“If you’re the type of person who cheered when you saw that Travis Barker’s plane crashed, then you’ll probably want to avoid Totally Michael”
Maybe nuance isn’t your thing, but that’s a bit different than what you’re implying. Also, there is no “rock bottom low” here, just a funny line that you obviously didn’t get.