EPs are the format of choice nowadays for bands without chart aspirations (the three-track song limit for eligibility has put paid to that) and you generally find there are two kinds. EPs that are named after a particular song included therein (this tends to be the lead-track) and those which are a collection of songs released under an apparently unrelated name. Greek band Plastic Flowers (not to be confused with at least half a dozen bands of the same name) don't have a song called 'Aftermath', and curiously, this EP doesn't have what you could describe as a "lead-track" or a "single". But let's not forget that a band's best work is often not the radio-friendly chart smash but the songs tucked away on B-sides or albums; those without obvious commercial appeal.
Here we get what sound like four B-sides, and while none of them will blow minds, all of them have their own merits. 'Dead Promises' could almost fit the single billing but it's just too floaty and lacks any particular hook. That said, it's still a decent tune, made of ticking beats and wandering guitar with hazy vocals. Think of it as electro-dreampop maybe. Those beats and guitar continue through the more minimal 'Empty Eyes', a delicate lo-fi symphony to essentially being a bit of a mess. Again they almost find a single in 'Populists' which is a highlight but is deliberately held back, maybe for fear of over-commercialising their sound. It's light and fluffy and all things nice though. Finally 'In You I'm Lost' sees them retreat back to the distance with faraway vocals and a fuzzy guitar, as if they want to vanish quietly, without us noticing. "I'll disappear in the haze" they sing. And with that they're gone.
Plastic Flowers' website
Stream or buy the EP
See them live:
Mar 02 Coo Bar w/ P.F. DJ set Thessaloniki, Greece
Mar 07 Primeiro Andar Lisbon, Portugal
Mar 08 Mercado Negro Aveiro, Portugal
Mar 09 CDGo Showcase Porto, Portugal
Mar 09 O Meu Mercedes Porto, Portugal
Mar 10 FNAC Showcase, Braga, Portugal
Mar 10 FNAC Showcase, Guimaraes, Portugal
Mar 13 In.gredients Showcase (SXSW), Austin, TX
Mar 15 The Valveeta Room (SXSW), Austin, TX
Mar 16 STPPFest (SXSW), Austin, TX
Mar 20 TBA Richmond, VA
Mar 21 TBA Washington, DC
Mar 22 TBA Baltimore, MD
Mar 23 TBA Philadelphia, PA
Mar 24 TBA New York, NY
Mar 25 TBA Allston, MA
Apr 17 K44, Athens, Greece
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No west coast??
ReplyDeleteI don't plan the gigs! No UK either :(
ReplyDeleteBelgian band? They are from Greece! :D
ReplyDeleteSure it's the same band? From their Facebook:
ReplyDelete"Hometown Meise, Belgium"
Yeah they are both greek, but one of the them was born in Belgium or something. I heard it from an interview they gave last week. Smooth sounds :-)
ReplyDeleteAh fair enough. Well they've got Belgium down so I'll leave it at that unless they ask me to change it.
ReplyDeleteOK updated to Greek. I'll leave them to explain why they put Belgium as their home town on Facebook! To confuse idiots like us probably!
ReplyDelete