Three small, stupidly juxtaposed words used in connection with Musée Méchanique sent my blood pressure soaring with near fatal consequence. They are Neutral Milk Hotel – the finest band with the stupidest name of all time.
Is this an appropriate comparison, or were the promoters raising my hopes only to dash them with crushing force?
For a start nothing could be as good as In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (NMH’s seminal, sophomore and final album), but Like Home is similarly pretty and emotionally involving.
Gentle vocals float seamlessly over synthetic, cinematic, orchestral flourishes of outstanding beauty. It’s a truly beautiful sound, and one which seems poised for an indie film soundtrack.
Musée Méchanique are poised for critical acclaim, but I fear that, like NMH, they will fade into obscurity to be cherished by an obsessive few. Don’t let this happen.
Release Date 25/01/2010
I started out writing for the Manchester Evening News as a freelance journalist back in 2008. The idea that I would be given free access to music and gigs seemed somehow miraculous to me, and I proceeded to take full advantage of the situation. When the M.E.N. decided to constrict its coverage to only the very biggest bands, Simon Poole approached me with a plan to make sure that all the very talented musicians of this world that pass through and/or live in Manchester would not go unnoticed. As the New Releases editor here at Silent Radio Towers, it remains my proud duty to cast a critical eye over the music and reviews that come my way in a manner that is both supportive and fair. Above all, I strive to write as entertainingly possible. Favourite musicians include the Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Mercury Rev, Os Mutantes, The Knife, Beach House etc etc. I'm a firm believer that all genres (except nu-metal) contain music of great quality...
