Handclaps kick off London trio PLASTIK’s new 8 song EP (more like mini-album really) HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH. And I heartily approve. First tune TEENAGE PROLOGUE is pretty much what it says it is, a brief ode to adolescent frustration. The sound reminds one of early Pere Ubu with a strong, more centrefield singer who has a touch of the David Sylvians. Its a good start to proceedings and draws you seductively into Plastik’s aural universe.
However, a little more focused production would work wonders on the second tune – DEAD STAR, which has a killer refrain and chorus and could well be a classic but is about a minute too long I feel. On this their sonic attack lacks a little bit of staccato urgency in the main and sometimes it seems as if the band holds back at times when they should really go for the jugular. (Also there is a part in the song where the singer Gareth Moss goes ‘the silence is deafening’ and the band stop playing for a bar or two – corny. I would suggest the boys shouting out the word ‘DEAFENING’ together collectively and kick straight back to the chorus. But then again I’m not Martin Hannett). But its still sounds very ok as it is – just needs a little fine tuning.
The slightly Muse-esque THE GUEST is first-rate in parts with some nice chord changes but I’m not sure if the two different sections of the tune gel together all that successfully. Might be better as two separate songs. Good use of synthesizer is apparent on the superb BRAINSTORMS which is slower in pace but doesn’t lack any passion for all that. Indeed maybe Plastik should think of using the synth a bit more in their work overall – the fuzzy tones on TEENAGE PROLOGUE sounds great and could well be brought further up in the mix.
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SPEECH MARKS wins due to catchy melody and amusing interview style dialogue in the songlyrics. BRING ME THE HEAD OF ROBERT HOWARD pares back the sound and veers into Radiohead territory without sounding too derivative (is that the same Robert Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian I wonder?). UP ON THE HILL (no.42) has drama but doesn’t stand out particularly on this collection, certainly not when compared to the excellent closer LONDON, YOU OWE ME THIS MUCH, an acoustic number that has some great harmonies and nice use of traffic sound effects.
So to sum up, there is a sufficient amount of energy and diversity on HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH to suggest that Plastik have a very good album in them. The music on this EP is fresh, inventive and full of heart and all this band lacks at the moment is a sympathetic producer I feel. Most importantly, the basic raw materials (polymers?) for an interesting musical career are here in spades and should they continue their upward curve then Plastik’s prospects are very er, shiny indeed.
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