Plans & Apologies ‘Tree
Dee Pee’ EP
(Artists Against Success)
(April '05)
Yes, yes, yes! From the scratchy scrapbook artwork, through to the crashing instruments and Morriseyesque storytelling, this is the best compact disc-shaped surprise I’ve had in a while. I’m almost as surprised that I never really heard of them before.
Plans & Apologies are a seven-piece (!) band of young men from Derby. They’ve got a regional spikiness akin to the Futureheads, or anyone else who obviously isn’t part of the London scene. “Fashionistas, sing along!” they piss-takingly command. This is an old-fashioned indie band who make a big racket with a good sense of humour. They do declaration-of-love songs, and slice-of-life songs, and randomly-stupid songs, all with a Weezer-ish use of stupidly/emotional high-pitched vocals ‘Everyone’s Song’ - sincerely dedicated to every listener, or maybe not – finishes with what sounds like an impression of a horde of chattering monkeys. There are not enough animal impressions in serious songs.
If I were feeling sentimental (and maybe if there were a girl in the band to provide a vocal counterpoint / blunt male critical faculties) I could say I’ve been waiting my whole life for a band like this. This six-song EP perhaps contains a couple too many more throwaway tracks – a compact single would be more convincing – but it did make me check out the recommended first album*. All in all they’ve got the ‘teasingly quiet / scarily loud’ dynamic of early Mogwai, combined with the accessible romanticism of Belle & Sebastian (“if you are blue, then this is for you”), told through something of the obscure wordplay and general awkwardness which Pavement had at their best.
They’re a soft band who rock hard, and having fun with it. What more do you need? If you’re not convinced, just listen to that first track ‘Eggbound Mutebone’, which tells a tale of being harassed by an evangelist but preferring to look for truth and beauty in spreading the word about certain musics…
*'Torn Out pages from the Middle Agez', £1 from Steve's Sounds near Leicester Square. Bargain!
