Review | Tak Matsumoto Group – TMG II

Frontiers Music srl

The first album of the Tak Matsumoto Group emerged in 2004. It featured guitarist Tak Matsumoto, Night Ranger bass player and vocalist Jack Blades (also known from Revolution Saints and Damn Yankees)  and Mr. Big singer Eric Martin. Their melodic rock did well in Tak’s home country Japan, they did a tour and shot a video. And that was that. Blades had his career, Eric Martin had his and Tak was the main man of the Japanese band B’z, one of the most successful acts in that country. Sure, there were talks about reuniting but nothing really came of it. Until a few years ago when the trio decided to start working together again. It still took a certain time before things really fell into place, but here we are listening to ‘TMG II’.

EXPERIENCE GALORE

All musicians have built up experience galore in the last twenty years. So as a rock fan you are entitled to some expectations, I guess. Opener ,,Crash Down Love’’ starts the album of in style. It is a fierce rocker where drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses/The Cult) really lets it fly. Martin’s vocals are strong and the song is energetic. ,,Eternal Flames’’ features the formation BABYMETAL as guests but to be quite honest it feels a bit strange hearing Martin combining his vocals with the dance metal vibe that BABYMETAL brings to the table. A question of getting used to that sound and style and Tak’s solo is without doubt very good. Not my cup of tea, but okay.

FALLING APART

After ,,Eternal Flames’’ there is a song called ,,The Story Of Love’’ where the band works together with a female singer called LiSA. A girl that is big in Japan but I cannot really figure out or appreciate what she adds to this song. It is a rather weak affair in my book. And sorry to say, with this song the whole record starts falling apart all together. With the exception of the rocking closer ,,Guitar Hero’’ and the ballad ,,The Great Divide’’ the rest of the material is hardly what you call spectacular or exciting. It is more that the band is going through the motions with rather mediocre songs that are predictable and rather boring.

TAK MATSUMOTO GROUP – THE CONCLUSION

For me ‘TMG II’ is rather a disappointing affair. Martin and Blades have put in decent performances I guess, but never ever the spark is lit. Looking at this record critically there are only three strong songs present . Which is not enough to be able to recommend this record to any fan of melodic rock music. Maybe fanatic fans of Jack Blades and/or Eric Martin might be interested. But I doubt if they are happy when they have heard the whole record. Sometimes a reunion does not work out and this is in my book a prime example.

Release date: 6 December 2024