Totally Michael

Totally Michael

[1.5/5]

Totally Michael melds electronic sequences with pop-punk sensibilities a la Atom And His Package. But unlike Atom (and contemporaries like Japanther and Math The Band), Totally Michael lacks the cleverness and variety that make this kind of music enjoyable on disc. The songs and production rarely vary in structure, piling up a few standard keyboard sounds, muddled drum machines and subject matter that alternates between vaguely positive (summertime and prom) and vaguely funny (Winona Ryder and cheerleaders). Although Michael knows how to write a good hook (as demonstrated on “In Her Diary”), these recordings often seem uninspired. Only on the ridiculously over-the-top dirty club-punk jam “Casual Satisfaction” does he tap into the energy and carefree humor that make his live performance notorious in basements across the country, which leaves you wondering why it rarely works on the rest of the record. (IHEARTCOMIX) Luke Jaxon