Punknews.org | Totally Michael

Review Navigator

Features

Reviews

Totally Michael

For You.
2006
self-released

Totally Michael - For You. (Cover Artwork)

Review by: superskabro
See others by this writer

Totally MySpace!!! (link)

Only registered users
can post comments

Published on August 28th 2007

Punk music definitely gets a lot of its energy from the anger of civil, emotional, social and political unrest. There are, however, a few instances where punk can get its energy from harnessing the human urge to simply dance and have a good time. This is where Totally Michael comes in.

Totally Michael is everything the name says: It's just a dude named Michael. And a guitar. And a laptop. Okay, so the guitar and the laptop aren't so obvious in the title, but they're there. And the three of them make one of the most powerful trios of all time.

Seconds into a first listen, the Atom and his Package comparisons are daunting. While it is true that Atom patented the "electro/pop-punk" sound 10 years ago, ever since he and his package broke up, there has been a goofy void in the music scene.

Totally Michael attempts to fill that void with this cute little EP. The disc gets off to a start with the anthemic "Death Hill (Over and Over)." The chugging guitar and cheesy "drums" are very Atom-esque, but that's definitely not a bad thing. While the song is wonderful, the repetitive chorus of "over and over and over and over I will echo my name through the clouds" is only funny if you haven't heard Hot Chip reach for the same effect in "Over and Over" or Bomb the Music Industry!’s "King of Minneapolis Pt. I & II."

The fire on the EP really gets started with the electro-only "Alicia's Song." It's a fun, happy, dancey song, but it is also fleetingly sad. The following song, "Shake Your Booty or Die" keeps the fun-wagon rolling with the most traditional punk song on the disc. The song displays Michael's knack for writing pop-punk riffs and oven-fresh sing-along gems. The sing-along element of "Shake Your Booty" carries over to "Cheerleader vs. Drillteam," one of the best crowd-participation songs since "The Twist." It is definitely post-Napoleon Dynamite in its campy goofiness, but it sure works.

For You. closes with the rousing "Don't Stop," which urges the listeners to not "stop fighting for the ones that you love." It is by far the "heaviest" and strongest track on the EP. Sadly, the title of the song, "Don't Stop" is misleading, as it abruptly ends the EP, and the dance party that the previous five tracks had incited.

While not perfect, For You. shows that Totally Michael is on the right track. A full-length is definitely over-due from this Bloomington, IN party king. Let's hope he can settle down long enough to pump one out. At your next dance party, be sure to add Totally Michael to the set list next to Girl Talk and the Rapture. Or, better yet, catch him live on one of his extensive tours!

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 31, 2007 at 8:08 AM (EDT)

Totally Michael's live show is super-high energy and a lot of fun, and he has legs that go all the way up. It might not be the musical grease that keeps your gears going, but if that's the case you're old. I watched Lindsay Lohan's Mean Girls with this fucker until the sun came up, and we both conceded to each other's misogyny. I am therefore willing to vouch for any action he takes. Plus he's fucking hilarious.

(and actually saying totally michael in drunken aftershow afterglow makes you come a little harder)

Posted by FuckYouOiOiOi on 2007-08-30 00:33:13
My Score:

Teh Revolt and Bomb the Music Industry are better.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at 3:13 AM (EDT)

Greg0rb, I live in Indianapolis. I go to Bloomington as much as possible though. Prizzy and Totally Michael are comming to Radio Radio in Fountain Square next month. I am totally pumped for that.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 11:45 PM (EDT)

God. Bloomington, IN fucking sucks.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 10:55 PM (EDT)

This guy used to live in my town. Michael is by far one of the coolest dudes to ever put on a bee suit.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 9:29 PM (EDT)
My Score:

yes. i was a little annoyed with his live show, but Death Hill is one of the catchiest songs ever.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 9:29 PM (EDT)

what is it with everyone jumping on this style of music all of a sudden?

I really don't know. Pretty much anyone with good enough equiptment can record some keyboard beats onto their laptop and make a MySpace. I'm getting really tired of going to shows and seeing opening acts just hook up their computer to the p.a. and sing over their prerecorded music while people go apeshit for them.

Posted by hitlerbadzakgood on 2007-08-28 19:39:46

what is it with everyone jumping on this style of music all of a sudden?

Posted by hitlerbadzakgood on 2007-08-28 19:39:35

what is it with everyone jumping on this style of music all of a sudden.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 6:43 PM (EDT)
My Score:

this dude's live show is one of the best i've ever seen. fucking hilarious.

Posted by damnitsderek on 2007-08-28 18:34:51

I'm so glad you reviewed this. Totally Michael is great.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 6:27 PM (EDT)

I saw him perform in a church this summer. The dude dropped the f-bomb more freqently than anyone I have ever heard speak.

Posted by greg0rb on 2007-08-28 17:37:54

Even though I've lived in Bloomington for two years now, I just saw Totally Michael for the first time w/Prizzy Prizzy Please here last Friday. It was a damn good time, and Cheerleaders v Drillteam is rad indeed. Wasnt sure if I would buy a disc by him, but this may have me convinced... I do own and love every Atom release... You live in Indy or Btown Superskabro? You see to like a lot of Btown bands.
-Greg

Posted by wentz_equals_death on 2007-08-28 14:40:52

archangel, while funny, your comment is suspect: clap your hands say yeah?

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 2:07 PM (EDT)

awesome live show. love this guy.

Posted by Archangel on 2007-08-28 11:39:42

I don't think I could ever give this guy a fair chance because it would mean that at ONE POINT, I would have to say "Totally Michael" and I just can't bring myself to speak those words.