Review: My Pet Dragon “Mountains and Cities”

Pop rock
We last heard from My Pet Dragon back in April 2010 when we reviewed their excellent maxi-single, “Lover In Hiding” (see review here). Now they are back with a new full-length album entitled, “Mountains and Cities”, which happens to feature “Lover In Hiding”. The band started as a duo consisting of New York singer/songwriter Todd Michaelsen and Indian dancer/actress Reena Shah, but has since blossomed into a five piece outfit. The early buzz helped to recruit Stevo George (the original drummer for Ministry) to produce the record.

I absolutely love the vocals of Michaelsen – soft yet soaring, this guy has a beautiful pop rock tone and keen instincts for what to do with the lyrical line. Moreover, the group never seems to miss placing in plentiful harmonies and backing vocals in an attempt to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. In terms of the songwriting, “Mountains and Cities” has its peaks and valleys, but the peaks are quite an experience. Opening track “Majestic Lovers” certainly lives up to its grandeur, easing itself into your ears where the sweet sounds of Michaelsen will lift you right out of your seat. The chorus is mesmerizing with its hook and harmonies, reminding me of Keane at their best. “Moonshine” picks up the pace and proves to be a fun and memorable ride, fitting the celebratory lyrical content. “Love Anthem” contains distorted vocals in the verses and some other experimentation that just doesn’t work for me – the Radiohead-like chorus is pretty great, though. “U R” returns to the affable upbeat sound with 80s overtones I find appealing. Other highlights are squeezed onto the end of the record in the gorgeously peppy “Songbird” and engaging title track.

I’d recommend My Pet Dragon for fans of Muse, Coldplay, and early Radiohead.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 12

My Pet Dragon – Official site.

Check out the video for “Moonshine”

My Pet Dragon "Moonshine" from My Pet Dragon on Vimeo.

Review: My Pet Dragon "Lover in Hiding" [maxi single]

My Pet Dragon stems from the meeting of New York singer/songwriter Todd Michaelsen and Indian dancer/actress Reena Shah. As the romantic feelings grew between Michaelson and Shah, so did their desire to form a band to record the musical aspirations in their head. The result was My Pet Dragon, whose debut album, "First Born", earned some attention from BBC radio and opened up some opportunities for collaborative songwriting with Karsh Kale and the chance to score an award-winning animated film called "Sita Sings The Blues".

The maxi-single for "Lover in Hiding" gives us a taste of what the upcoming full-length record will sound like, and fans of atmospheric pop with just the right amount of grit will want to take note. Michaelsen's vocals are a bit like Thom Yorke (Radiohead) at times and suit the musical style very well. "Lover in Hiding" is a sweet mid-tempo pop rocker that fills the senses and imprints on your brain in no time. A couple other tracks are present on the maxi-single, including "Between Us", which finds Michaelsen proclaiming, "There is something in-between us buzzin' 'round - there is something in-between us that science hasn't found". Of course science always wins in the end, but why not enjoy this kind of innocence while it lasts?

My Pet Dragon shows some real promise, especially if they continue to write songs as engaging and infectious as "Lover in Hiding". The duo plays an eclectic mix of styles and the end result is quite the ethereal experience. Check them out for FREE - we have been given permission to give you the "Lover in Hiding" mp3: click here.

My Pet Dragon on MySpace. Official site.