TMG II is the second studio album by the Japan-based supergroup Tak Matsumoto Group, released on September 18, 2024, by Vermillion Records. It was later released in Europe by Frontiers Music on December 6, who also released the band's first album, TMG I, in that region in 2004.
The album was released in three editions: a regular version, a limited edition featuring a metal plate with the members' autographs and pictures, and a premium edition featuring a Blu-ray with a performance from their 2004 tour, Dodge the Bullet.
The album debuted at No. 3 on both the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart.
Background
Ever since the completion of the group's first run in 2004, there had been talks of a reunion, but it was difficult to match everyone's schedules. Finally, in November 2022, guitarist
Tak Matsumoto contacted vocalist Eric Martin and bassist
Jack Blades about reforming, and they agreed. Work started on the album in 2024, but due to Martin and Blades being on tour with Mr. Big and
Night Ranger, respectively, they recorded their parts separately between March and June.
On February 28, 2024, in an interview with Rockpages.gr, Blades revealed that the band would be reforming and make a second album.
On April 19, the band unveiled details about the tour, TMG Live 2024: Still Dodging the Bullet, which would have nine dates across Japan, ending at the Tokyo Garden Theater. It was also announced that, alongside the members, Matt Sorum would be the drummer and Yukihide "YT" Takiyama would provide additional guitar.
On July 25, the album was officially announced, including the title, TMG II, recording lineup, and ten tracks. Additional features would include Babymetal, who Matsumoto had previously collaborated with on the song "Da Da Dance", on the song "Eternal Flames", and Daniel Ho, who previously released a collaboration album with Matsumoto titled Electric Island, Acoustic Sea.
Promotion
On August 30, "Crash Down Love" was released to radio, first appearing on FM802 "Rock On" in Japan.
Later, on September 11, both "Eternal Flames" and "Guitar Hero" were released in advance on streaming platforms;
they each debuted at No. 25 and No. 29 on the Oricon Weekly Digital Singles chart, respectively.
On September 13, they appeared on Music Station 2-Hour Special where they performed "Guitar Hero", "Eternal Flames", and "Da Da Dance" with Babymetal.
Just like with the first album, listening parties were held on September 14 and 15 at the Hard Rock Cafes in Tokyo and Osaka.
Critical reception
Upon release,
TMG II received mixed reviews from music critics. In a positive review, Alex Sales of
Metal Temple praised the musicianship, calling it "top notch", in particular Matsumoto's playing and Martin's vocals. He also praised the songs, saying, "All songs in this album are meticulously crafted and the arrangements are well thought out with melodies that will stick in your head".
Sakis Nikas of Rockpages.gr was more modest, again praising musicianship and production but lamented the songs don't live up to the
TMG I, stating that "the songs don’t have that catchy and uplifting character of the first album" and that the album as a whole was "just slightly below our high expectations." Despite that, he said the album overall was "a good release with some remarkable songs, fantastic production, and flawless performance".
In a more negative review, Michel van de Moosdijk of Headbangers Lifestyle again gave praise to the musicianship but criticized the songs. While he spoke positively of "Crash Down Love", "Guitar Hero", and "The Great Divide", of the others, he said, "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." He concluded that the album "is rather a disappointing affair" and stated that the group's reunion is a "prime example" of one that doesn't work out.
Track listing
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes.
[ TMG II liner notes. Vermillion Records. 2024.]
Tak Matsumoto Group
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Tak Matsumoto – guitars, background vocals on "Crash Down Love", "Jupiter and Mars", and "My Life"
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Eric Martin – lead vocals
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Jack Blades – bass, background vocals
Additional musicians
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Matt Sorum – drums, percussion on tracks 1, 3, 6, 9–10, background vocals on "Jupiter and Mars"
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Yukihide "YT" Takiyama – background vocals
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Daniel Ho – kane on "The Story of Love" and "Endless Sky", koto and sanshin on "The Story of Love" and "Jupiter and Mars", taiko on "The Story of Love", "Jupiter and Mars", and "Endless Sky"
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Jeff Babko – piano on tracks 1–7, 9, organ on tracks 2, 4, 6–8, 11, Wurlitzer and Mellotron on "Color in the World" and "Faithful Now", clavinet on "The Great Divide"
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Erina Sato with Lime Ladies Orchestra – strings on "Color in the World"
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Babymetal – vocals on "Eternal Flames"
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Lisa – vocals on "The Story of Love"
Production
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Tak Matsumoto – production, arrangement
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Yukihide "YT" Takiyama – arrangement
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Hiroyuki Kobayashi – recording, mixing
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Jin Murakawa – recording (vocals)
TMG Live 2004: Dodge the Bullet at Zepp Tokyo lineup
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Tak Matsumoto – guitars
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Eric Martin – lead vocals, guitar on "To Be with You"
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Jack Blades – bass, vocals, co-lead vocals on "Everything Passes Away", lead vocals on "(You Can Still) Rock in America"
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Chris Frazier - drums
Charts
Weekly charts
Monthly chart
Release history
