Micachu and the Shapes bear the heavy burden of being labeled "different," "weird," "dissonant," and "difficult." As a band getting a lot of chatter in the blogosphere, the reviews I've seen so far warn readers to brace themselves. Apparently seeing a Micachu show or listening to the debut album Jewellery is supposed to be a jarring experience. This is a shame since they are essentially making pop music.
Consisting of Mica Levi, Marc Pell and Raisa Khan, the band uses an array of instruments including a modified guitar, cow bells and even a credit card (that sound you hear in "Lips"). These "dissonant" sounds are expertly blended together to form catchy melodies that will leave you nodding your head like any Timbaland beat.
Micachu turns the chaos into pleasing phrases and loops thanks to her classical music background and rigorous training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She's already composed an orchestral piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and her 2008 mixtape Filthy Friends generated a lot of critical attention and demand in the London club scene.
Seeing her at the Levi's Fader Fort at SXSW showed that the young band still has some ground to cover before translating their unique sound into a compelling live set. Soundboard problems aside (Micachu had to play their opener "Vulture" over again in its entirety because a soundguy neglected to turn on Mica's mic), the band has a difficult time balancing the sounds to create the right mix in a live setting. This will get better with time.
Still, it's hard to imagine walking away from a Micachu show and not being impressed with the ambition. While Jewellery seems to be a lock for critics this year, it's yet to be determined if this will be a break out album. The band will spend April and May touring the UK and Europe. Jewellery is released April 7, 2009 in the US.
