All right: let's
do this thing!
Okay, so the Christmas dinner has settled in my stomach, the dishes are done, the crackers pulled (no, not the hot neighbour! I wish!) and all that's left is consistently terrible Christmas telly.
Or,
or... I could start reviewing members' albums. Well,
Noel Edmonds' Christmas Holiday Video Family Accidents does look tempting, but no. Let's see what the Santa of Music has brought me this year.
Cheap Guitars --- Planktons Odyssey --- 2015 (Plankton)
Planktons Odyssey - Cheap Guitars <----click the link to listen
It's no secret that I've loved Plankton's music since I first heard it. In fact, he's such a guitar god that I've decided to rate every album here on a scale of him, as you'll see below. This is his newest album, and though I believed that to be his daughter in negative on the cover, he assures me it is not, and is instead some random picture he came across while trawling the net. But who really cares about the picture anyway (though it is a good idea for an album cover): let's get to the music!
“Streetwise” has a deceptive easy strum opening before it kicks into life, wailing and screaming in total seventies hard rock heaven. Chula, you'll love this! If any of you haven't heard Plankton's music before (shame on you: rectify that immediately! It should be a requirement for all new members) let me tell you his albums are almost always instrumental, based around the guitar on which he is so proficient, and usually in the rock sphere. This has a great feel of Zep and Free about it, and as he normally does, Plankton plays all instruments, almost exclusively guitars with some percussion which I believe is rendered via a computer programme, though I could be wrong there. This rocks along with passion and power, with some of that fine soloing those of us who have become acquainted with his music are so familiar with. Great start, punches things off right from the word go.
There's a definite feeling of reggae to “Purdie Plank Shuffle”, and it's interesting to hear some vocals, though they seem mostly just to be spoken, or shouted. The percussion here is particularly effective, though of course the axe takes centre stage. There's some lovely almost upright bass before a chopping, slicing guitar cuts into things. It's a long piece, and I'll readily admit it's not what I consider one of his classics, like “Screaming at an empty canvas” or the monumental “Son of Soothsayer” from
Krill, or indeed "Hollow City limits" from
Whale. The shouting seems out of place, and I kind of feel like I did when I listened to “Shoveled”, the only track I didn't enjoy on
Krill. A lovely walking shuffle bass as we head towards the fourth minute improves things, but personally I think this track is too long for what it is.
Happily, rock guitar (not 101, I hasten to add!) kicks off “Function 8” and we're back on track as things move along at a nice fast tempo, Plankton letting go his metal dogs, and don't they bite and snap! It's a relatively short song, almost half as long as the second track, but much tighter and not a second of its two and a half minutes is wasted. Sounds like he's really just having a blast here. Someone once said that “Ace of Spades” (God rest ya, Lemmy!)
could be the soundtrack to the end of the world. This could certainly serve as the soundtrack to a great car chase scene in a movie. Toning everything back then with the Gary Mooresque “Left alone”, an emotional, moving, gorgeous little ballad with maybe some keys in there? Not sure, but it certainly leaves an impression of wistful memories, reminds me a tiny bit of “Parisienne Walkways” and “The Loner”. Superb. Best track so far.
Not quite sure why it says “Name your price” and every single track is shown as “free”?? Still, if you were naming your price for this it would have to be pretty high. This is classy stuff, which of course we've come to expect, even demand from this guy. And he seldom disappoints. The first signs of electronica in the opening to “Taking the time”, which then marches along on a midpaced beat with some lovely high notes which kind of remind me of Oldfield and Fleetwood Mac. Note: when I say “remind me of” I'm not for an instant suggesting that Plankton is ripping off or copying anyone, just trying to give you a sense of the music he's playing and what comparisons it brings to my mind.
Truly beautiful solo here, this would have to go down as another Blue. And it will. Kind of a celtic influence in parts. The guitar that starts up in the third minute is tremendous, and everything comes together then for the big finish. “The caves” opens on a big synth intro, very dramatic, very luxuriant, like something out of a movie, then a slow almost anthemic guitar rises into the mix. This one is great but way too short, and is followed by another electronic monster in “Eschaton”. Plankton loves using odd words or sometimes making them up (“Fluxstration”, anyone?) so I have no idea what this is meant to convey, but it's kind of dark and powerful, with a punching beat and lots of synthy noises criss-crossing the melody. I see it's just shy of six and a half minutes, making it the longest track on the album by a long way.
Great solo now cutting through, though the synths remain strong and in the foreground, and really, we're halfway through before I even realise it. Beautiful kind of strings sound coming in now with I think a phased effect on one of the other guitars, then as we move into the fourth minute the synthscape grows more powerful as the guitar fades back, then everything stops before it all slams back in on sharp guitar and faster drumbeats. The percussion indeed sort of takes over in the last minute, the synth driving everything towards the song's conclusion, the guitar herding all before it like a snappy sheepdog. Kind of a folky feel to “Out of time”, with what surely must be Spanish guitar opening it. I think this sounds familiar to something off the
Krill album; it sounds like I've heard it, or something like it, from him before. Though that could just be me. Electric guitar now joining in before it quickly fades down, then back as the positions are reversed and the Spanish drops out, to be replaced by a hard, punching but midpaced electric.
Kind of almost like two different tracks, as the electric guitar sets up a new kind of melody and takes the tune to new places, getting harder and rockier as it goes along. “Creeper” does what it says on the tin, crawling and slithering along like something stalking you through the hot South American jungle, always on your trail, always out of sight, breathing down your neck but when you turn around it's nowhere to be seen. Something of a fist-pumper, this one. Reminds me of Kamelot, that kind of progressive metal feel. Nice point in the third minute when everything stops for just a few drum beats on their own, then the guitar comes back in. And we end on “Bad guitar blues”, which Plankton has included as a bonus track. And is it the blues! It's also got a vocal; don't know if it's him, but if so he certainly manages to sound very black! I guess if anyone buys this (what do I mean if?) he'll have to put the old “e” on the lyric here! Superb guitar of course; is someone playing a piano there in the background? I'm sure they are. Great way to end the album; should probably have included it as standard though.
TRACKLISTING AND RATINGS
Streetwise
Purdie plank shuffle
Function 8
Left alone
Taking the time
The caves
Eschaton
Out of time
Creeper
Bad guitar blues
So, the verdict? Another excellent album from the man who brought you
Krill and
Whale, and if you ever doubted he could play, then this album will surely blow those doubts away in a fusilade of riffs and solos, and some really fine songwriting. This guy just goes from strength to strength, and I'm sure will astound us with another classic before too long. But for now,
Cheap Guitars keeps the legend alive! Be part of it.
Rating:
