REVIEW: Plastiscene, Seeing Stars (Mojo/Universal)
- Chris Hill
The Dandy Warhols' were touted by Rolling Stone as "the best British group to come from America". Well, not anymore. LA band Plastiscene appropriates the crown with cocksure ease. Maybe they have an unfair advantage - British-born singer Roger Gisborne oozes a 90s Ziggy Stardust air, all impertinent style and confident swagger. However, the six-member band rates high on musicianship as well. Fuzzed-out guitars, a tight percussive backbone, & lively organ/keyboards combine for a thickly-layered opus.
Gisborne, the primary writer for the group, has a knack for short, bursting couplets: "You'll go down/Boy, you'll live underground/Yeah, you live in today/It's the American way" on the first single, "Lemon Yellow". The terse, infectious lyrics are quickly ingrained in the consciousness.
"What are you gonna do? What are you gonna say? When it all comes down to you?" ("Sundial") - personal awareness is a strong theme on the record ("Who Are You", "Big Wheel"), but there's room for pure fun, as well.
The effervescent "Around the World" has a Herman's Hermits/Beatles lively joy to it. "On Your Own Time" hits the Oasis target squarely on the head, while "Times Don't Change" has a vocal hook vastly superior to the Dawson's Creek theme.
In keeping with 60s influences, Seeing Stars also has its share of psychedelic imagery ("Super girl is scary green", "The superglue man with the shiny hand", "When the spaceship lands/You know I'm going on"), yet the album avoids foolishness or parody.
If they aren't huge within the year, it's the result of a market glut. I actually wanted to dislike the band on first listen - they're accomplished and precise, with a maturity that belies their youth. But with every listen, a euphoric glow sparked and flamed, upon recognition of a consistency I haven't heard since School of Fish's Human Cannonball. Much credit must go to producer Rich Costey for crafting such a cohesive release.
As Kelly LeBrock said, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful". Okay. There's plenty of room at the table for another good band. Give Plastiscene a chance. Set a place and crank the amp to 11.
