Trollheart

Time to return to the world of whale food again. Yes, it's another album I promised to review yonks ago, and this time it's an album of rock covers.

Rock Covers – Plankton and Friends (Plankton)

Probably the artiste I have reviewed the most albums by (three, I think) to date, this is a relatively short one, and though I don't know all the songs I do know the better part of them. Unlike Mondo's, I have a pretty good idea what to expect , so let's fire up the keyboard and get going. Oh, and a clever little album cover, with a rock being covered by paper.

“Jacob's ladder” by Rush is the longest track here, at over seven minutes, and checking on the original I see that's about right and Plankton isn't just extending it. Chances are most of you will know these tracks already so I won't go into too much detail, but this is from Rush's Permanent Waves album and is of course driven on hard rock guitar, though it morphs into what sounds like accordion but I assume is synth around the fourth minute. I'm not certain who's singing – may be some guy called Johnny Megabyte – but the vocal is decent. That's probably as much as I can say about it really. Plankton's guitar expertise as usual is faultless, and whether it's him working the keys, one of his mates or a plugin or backing track it works very well.

Of all the Ozzy tracks he could have chosen though, “Mr. Crowley”, though a popular choice, is not one I know very well so I can't comment on how well or otherwise Plankton covers it. Synthy opening reminds me of the start of Sabbath's “Die young”; there's quite the church organ about it though which marks it out. That's got to be a backing track with Ozzy's vocal on it, there's no way anyone could mimic him so perfectly! Once the guitar gets going it kills all before it as usual, and there's a superb solo reminiscent of the best of Gary Moore (though I'm sure Plank would prefer me to say Randy Rhoads; I'm just not that familiar with the man's work. I've heard some solo Ozzy stuff but not a lot) and one of my alltime favourite rock songs ever gets the Plankton treatment next as he tackles Floyd's “Comfortably numb”. Again, either Plankton is able to copy the vocal style of some true rock icons, or that's Roger Waters on a backing vocal track. Nice female backing vocals – even oif they stutter and fade a little - and synth, but of course it's all in that solo, and Plankton handles it as you would expect, exceptionally well. The vocal again is sort of muddy, fading or too low after the solo – possibly a problem with production? - and the female vocal stutters again, almost as if she's either forgetting the lines or losing her place. Pity because otherwise it's a really good version. It ends of course on that soaraway solo, fading nicely into the distance.

Back to the sixties then for a Beatles standard, “While my guitar gently weeps”, with some real fretboard histrionics from Plankton, thankfully one of the darker songs from the Fab Four, as I would not have liked to have seen him take on “She loves you” or “Penny Lane”. Maybe “Let it be”or “The long and winding road”. But this one works really well, even though I'm not as familiar with it as some people would be. Nice phasing effect there. Another favourite of mine in “Everybody hurts”. Again, I don't have too much experience of REM, but I do know and love this song. Very much like the guitar intro – oh wait: is this going to be an instrumental version? Sounds like it, as I don't hear any vocals yet, and we're now nearly two minutes into the song. Almost halfway really. Yeah, definitely an instrumental. Very nice, very relaxing, though I wonder why he decided not to have singing on this one? Still, it gives him a chance to really show off his dexterity on the guitar in a more restrained way on one of the nicest ballads I've heard.

Nothing I can tell you about the closer. I have never heard a single Lady Gaga song in my life, so “Applause” is totally new to me. Sort of a stabbing keyboard to kick it off then it revs up on slightly AOR-style guitar, powering along nicely. Applause effects, but again no vocals (I don't know if it's supposed to have them, though I assume Lady G doesn't do instrumentals). Meh, it's good of course but it doesn't make me want to rush out and buy the latest Lady Gaga album. Pity Plankton didn't choose another true rock cover to close instead of a pop song. Oh well, his prerogative I guess. Leaves me feeling a little cheated at the end. Oh look! There are vocals there right at the end, kind of in a vocoder or something. Still meh though.

TRACK LISTING AND RATINGS

1. Jacob's ladder
2. Mr. Crowley
3. Comfortably numb
4. While my guitar gently weeps
5. Everybody hurts
6. Applause

A short little album that shows Plankton paying his dues, and pretty much nailing each song (of the ones I know), however I'm looking forward much more to hearing new material from him. Certainly demonstrates, to anyone who doubted, that he is a guitar god, but Plankton, we prefer to worship you for your original material...

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