Last year saw UK outfit Plastic earning strong attention and praise with debut album Here, There Is No Gravity. It was a release though which did not gather the momentum expected to break the band upon major recognition. Taking its predecessor’s attributes to a whole new level the band now has the Drink Sensibly EP to tempt recognition, an aim such its bold adventure it is hard seeing having similar difficulties.
Midlands based, Plastic brew an ear grabbing roar from a fusion of punk, grunge and metal. It has already proven a tempting mix especially courtesy of the band’s first album but has become a far more imaginative and contagious persuasion within Drink Sensibly. There is a richer blend of sound and enterprise in the writing and sound of the three tracks making up the EP which for us puts the definitely easy to devour Here, There Is No Gravity firmly in the shade.
Approaching the subjects of mental decline and self-loathing, the EP opens up with Munchies and immediately commands indeed demands attention as strikes of guitar spring the punchy but melodic tones of Matthew Awbery. Just as quickly the song breaks into a swinging canter, its rhythms knees high as it strides through ears with a swagger soaked in punk fuelled virulence. A noise punk clamour accompanies its emotive defiance, every rhythmic swipe and sonic jab pure virulence as irritability brews, springs, and adds to the rousing tempest.
It is an outstanding start, probably for us the EP’s finest moment but one seriously challenged by its companions starting with Lovesick. The second track wears its grunge breeding more openly but again a new indie pop catchiness soaks the magnet jangle and rousing clamour Plastic create. With a Nirvana meets Green Day spicing to its contagion, the song had the body bouncing as eagerly and high as its own melodic jounce; joyfulness lining every essence surrounding melancholy spun emotive reflection.
Spit completes the pleasure; the final song a noise rock twisted slab of grunge punk throwing its rhythmic limbs around like a spinning dervish as riffs and hooks harass and tease. Feral yet deviously conjured in ear tempting texture and turn, the track is pure punk ‘n’ roll flirtation which had ears groaning at its and the EP’s too soon a passing as fingers raced to press play all over again.
If the first Plastic album sparked your appetite, Drink Sensibly will simply inflame a fresh hunger while surely enticing a whole horde of newcomers to one increasingly exciting and thrilling band.
Drink Sensibly is available now.
https://www.facebook.com/plasticbanduk/
Pete RingMaster 29/05/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Future Crimes follows, opening with the great dirty growl of Cholewa’s bass before contrasting its grumble with the melodic jangle of guitar. As with its predecessor, familiar essences collude with bold fresh endeavour to create an individual character and presence; its melodic and harmonic boisterousness adding to that distinctiveness. There is a sonic mugginess to song and sound too which similarly just lured ears in and though maybe missing the striking hooks of the opener, the track effortlessly held court before Time Traveller offered up its own humid noise cultured breath. Something akin to Dinosaur Jr meets Big Black the song proved increasingly compelling and contagious as it nagged an already eagerly involved appetite.
It is a riveting start to the album swiftly matched by the even more asylum like Fons. Vocal gabble leads sonic stalking, the guitar offering initial glimpses of the track’s predacious heart before both ignite with the fiery blaze of the synth’s unpredictable melodic causticity. As everywhere, ever ready unpredictability soaks every twist and turn; steering the imagination and an increasingly greedier appetite for the song’s crazed composure and seductive ferocity.
Having our own musical journey seeded and bred in the small but tenacious independent record labels which leapt from the punk scene decades back there is an instinctive intrigue and appetite for the energy and passion which fuels such endeavours. They are adventures which are all about the music, it and their creators the reason for every move and release. This is no more epitomised than by Society Of Losers, a Liverpool hailing label formed in 2016. We were drawn to their presence and releases through the outstanding Salt The Snail before subsequently discovering the glories of . Now we have a couple of new tracks from two more of their bands with each confirming Society Of Losers a go to outlet for compelling escapades.
Enamel Animal within their CVs, Mr Ted immediately tease ears with a guitar wire; a coaxing line to a tide of sonic trespass which swiftly rises up. Just as urgently, the track’s thick groove and swing invades ears and body, leading an eager sway as rhythms prowl within the nagging insistence of the guitars. With vocals equally as infectious in their untamed antics the song revels in its unpredictable imagination aligned to a moments of more composed grunge nurtured roars.
Leaders is the new single from another Liverpool outfit in Bisch Nadar who similarly cast a sound spawn from a blend of styles, in this case merging the essences of math and alternative rock with progressive and pop infused flavours. Their new track shows it makes for a potent proposition taking little time to have ears and enjoyment keenly engaged.
as inviting as they are imposing. The warm vocal tones of Rathbone similarly are allied to the throat rasping scowls of Yelding; that aligning of contrasts the heart and power of a song with bite to its welcoming character and organic volatility in its belly.
As the ravenously viral rock punk ‘n roll throes of Strike and the post punk embracing devilry of The Jerk infested and seduced ears with unruly dexterity, Total Dump just stretched its landscape of esurient intent and fevered invention. Both tracks are as mercilessly catchy as they are unapologetically invasive, that greater accessibility to the band’s sound in full bloom just as much its acclaimed creative villainy is merciless, and traits just as thrilling within next up Shinny Happy Asshole, a venomously swinging, deviously contagious but inescapably corruptive slice of unscrupulous enterprise.
Through the likes of Garden, a primal irrepressible serenade of a treat, and The Vase with its almost carnal incitement around rapier swung beats, Slot Logic only further blossoms in sound and imagination, both tracks feral but sublimely crafted predators before the band next up delivers a cover of The Korgis’ song Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime. Whilst embracing the original’s pop breath, Dewaere unleash their own corrosive power pop like bent alongside their never diminishing sonic causticity; unleashing an adrenaline fuelled gear never envisaged in the track originally. It is a spicing further developed within the outstanding St-Tropez In Summer which follows. There is at times a certain Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster meets Engerica flavouring to the band’s distinctly individual sound but a twist in the wonderful bedlam here which again also hints at a Fatima Mansions influence or coincidence.
