Album Review: Made In Japan - Sights And Sounds

Sights And Sounds is the debut release from emerging indie group Made In Japan, although you'd never know it from listening to this record. The album boasts a maturity and complexity of sound that speaks of experience far beyond the group's own, with its melodic instrumental lines and emphatic vocals creating an altogether satisfying sound.

The album opens with Sights And Sounds, which is steady and measured and sets the sophisticated tone of the album immediately. The poignant, engaging vocal prowess of singer James Cooney is revealed in all its glory in Pairs, which combines a deep, intriguing vocal tone with catchy guitar riffs and gratifyingly earnest lyricism. What It Is is the only song that feels slightly less cohesive and somewhat less sophisticated than the others, with its faster guitar lines making the song sound slightly disjointed. The following track, Fall Apart, on the other hand is undoubtedly one of the record's standouts. Its catchy, upbeat guitar riffs contrast with the emotive lyrical content perfectly, showcasing the group's maturity and complexity of sound. Time Flies ignites passion in the listener through the consistently emphatic quality of Cooney's vocals.

Album closer Ignorance Is Bliss boasts a long, steady introduction, illustrating the group's musical cohesion, though the body of the song is slightly simpler and less remarkable than those preceding. On the whole, however, this record is nothing short of extraordinary. Made In Japan have managed to create an album that maintains maturity and sophistication without sacrificing complexity, a feat far beyond any reasonable expectations of a debut release. This record leaves us in no doubt that the future shines very bright for Made In Japan.