Coming off the back of their hit 2012 debut record Sights And Sounds, Made In Japan have created another album packed full of indie-shuffle dream pop, marking a solid step forward for the Sydney-based group.
Recorded and mixed entirely in lead singer and drummer James Cooney’s home studio, Tame All Those Thoughts can easily be seen as an extension of last year’s album. The band doesn’t drastically expand on their pre-existing sound, noticeable through a familiar ghostly guitar, vocals, and the group’s dreamy, wistful style.
A catchy chorus and a tantalising synth-laden guitar fills the record’s leading track ‘Community’. Combined with a solid and upbeat drum line, the song kick starts the journey for the rest of the album.
‘Follow The Fool’ stands out among the rest with its soft and reverbed guitar intro, spectral harmonies, and unfading chorus. The eight minutes of dreamy melodies carries on through to ‘Inbetween Fixes’, a solid and pensive instrumental that showcases the group’s enchanting and lush compositional skills.
Closing the nine-track sophomore is ‘Low’. The rich, emotive, and empathetic lyricism and smooth hypnotic guitar riffs create a sophisticated track, reflected also in Cooney’s passionate delivery.
A solid stepping stone, Tame All Those Thoughts offers some superb indie rock/dream pop tracks. Although the sound is fairly unchanged from their debut in terms of style and exploration, the record showcases the immense talent behind the group and promises a bright and exciting future for the Australian-made band.
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