Clive Tanaka y Su Orquesta has an interesting backstory: it was created by a Clive Tanaka, a Japanese hikikomori who found his voice through this project. Hikikormori withdraw from society. Eventually he found his voice and willingness to interact with others through the power of his love of music. That sweetness appears quite often in the album.
The music is warm and inviting. Plenty of people are mining this sort of sound, and Clive does well in it, but many of the songs fail to distinguish themselves. Instead, the album goes on in a blur of sad pop nostalgia.
Songs like “Neu Chicago” offer signs pointing to a better future. Vocals are so happy, longing for happiness. Following up on that is one of my other favorites on here, the casual “Skinjob”. Otherwise the songs recycle a lot of the 80s style of music that’s become so trendy.
Basically, the entire album is well-done but nothing quite manages to capture the attention or imagination. Clive clearly enjoys his equipment, and is capable of writing some great melodies when he’s inspired. The two aforementioned songs are the heart, but it feels the entire album is a letdown otherwise. I’m certain he’ll continue working on this profusely, and will be able to create a full album with the potential those two songs offer.