We all love music here. We all listen to it, and discuss it. Some of us write about it. But there are a select few who make it, who can play and indeed write music. There's an untapped well of talent here, as anyone who takes a cursory look through the “Artists' Corner” subforum can attest to. In this section I'll be doing my best to highlight these musical members, to review their work and bring it to your attention, if you haven't heard it before. I see Pet_Sounds is already doing a similar thing in his journal, but as with The Batlord's comic book thing, I had this idea independent of him, whether you believe me or not. Pet_Sounds has anyway agreed that he has no problem with my also doing this. In addition, I have reviewed some of the work of people here prior to this, but now I want to bring it all under one umbrella section, which I like to call
The first album I'm going to take a look at is by someone whose previous material I have already reviewed, and been mightily impressed with. This is his third album, and the review is a long time coming, as I had, to my shame, forgotten all about it. But having been given a reminder I've listened to it and am now ready finally to review
Whale ---- Planktons Odyssey --- 2014 (Smokin Baby Records)
Note: When I reviewed this originally I mistakenly took an "unfinished" copy of the album Plankton had kindly sent me, and so some of the songs were not on it, and some of the ones I wrote of below are now removed from it. Apologies to anyone (especially the writer of the work below) who read the review. It has now been amended to reflect the proper running order and tracklisting of the album. What else can I say but "D'Oh!"?
I'm told by the man himself that this is the third in a trilogy, and indeed I did review “Krill” last year, but at that point was unaware it was one of three. The liner notes tell us that the album is a concept one, focussing on one Jonah (the one in the Bible? I'm not sure, but that has to be where the name came from) who gets swallowed by a whale and is absorbed into the creature, both transitioning to a new and perhaps better lifeform. The album looks like it veers a little from the theme in certain places, but then, what concept album doesn't?
Hard as it may be to credit, this is almost completely a one-man effort, with Plankton playing all the guitars, basses and where they occur, keyboards, and the drum track supplied by a software package called Hydrogen.
The opener is a short one, with sound effects and water sounds as “Cetacea” describes the hero, Jonah, being swallowed by the whale. Vaguely eastern-sounding guitar riffs contribute to the alien sound of this opening piece, and it takes us into “Jonah”, wherein that much harder rocky guitar that those of us who have heard his work associate Plankton with comes punching in, chugging and riffing all over the place with a steel edge. Stop-start riffs punctuate the piece, and the percussion complements them. I assume Plankton uses several guitars here, as one keeps the rhythm while the other does the solos. And what solos they are! You definitely get a sense of the panic Jonah must feel as he realises he's in the belly of the great seabeast, and unlikely to escape.
The centrepiece then comes with “Eye of the storm”, with a big growling rocking guitar that could give many of the supposedly heavier metal bands out there today quite a run for their money. Hard, punching drumbeats punctuate an angry, snarling guitar which may represent Jonah's fear and rising resentment at his situation, or even that of the whale as it tries to digest the annoying thing that has swam into its maw. There's a real sense of power and rage in the piece, one of Plankton's best to date, to rival “Screaming at an empty canvas” and “Son of soothsayer”. It ends on a sort of almost acoustic, gentler line that perhaps signifies acceptance of the situation?
The oddly titled “Wiggles” is I believe dedicated to one of Plankton's friends, and features what may be a talkbox, some odd effects and a funky guitar with squealing, screeching little synth lines. Where it fits in I don't know, but it's an intersting track with a great smooth little groove. If I'm brutally honest though, I didn't like it and it really breaks up the flow of the album. I hate to say that, as I know it means a lot to him, but I can't see why it's here. There's no problem writing a song for his friend, but it stands out here like a vegetarian shark. Sorry man, just can't get me head around this one.
There's a sort of spoken intro to “You're not to blame”, like someone (it's Plankton) impersonating a Wookie (!) and then the heavy chugging guitars are back, but this time I'm pretty amazed to hear singing! Up to now, all of Plankton's stuff has been instrumental. When I first heard this I thought
Oh God! Don't tell me he can sing as well! I hate this guy! 
but it turns out this is his friend Tommy H who is on vocals. And he has a very strong voice too, reminds me of a mixture of Hetfield and Di'Anno, quite raw and powerful with a hint of the better punk bands in there. The song is about coming to terms with death, and apparently “You're not to blame” is very personal to Tommy, who had to watch his own father die in front of him. Heavy, as they say, stuff. Superb soloing on the guitars gives a real feeling of frustration and anxiety building to boiling point, as Tommy yells
”I don't blame you no more!” and Plankton leads us out on a scorching solo.
There's one small note of concern I'd like to voice here. This is not a criticism, just an observation. When you expect an album to be instrumental it's a little jarring to hear vocals, sort of like my recent review of "The Endless River". My own personal belief is that it breaks up the flow of the album, perhaps mars the theme it's been built on, and just really takes you by surprise. I think if I was rating this album I would deduct a point or two for the change; although the vocals are fine I did not expect them, and in retrospect even now would have preferred a fully instrumental album. Of course, it's Plankton's music and he's free to play it as he sees fit, and what do I know after all? But just personally, it's a little like the "Shoveled" track on "Krill"; doesn't quite spoil the album but sadly gives me something --- just one thing --- negative to write about it, which I would have preferred not to have done.
That is, as I say though, the only vocal track on the album, as one of the standouts hits, “Sunshine express” beginning like a mid-paced folk tune with acoustic and slide guitar (I think) trotting along nicely in a sort of blues vein. I wonder is this the dobro of which he speaks in the notes, given to him by his cousin and which proved “a birthday gift that exceeded my wildest dreams”? Yes, I see it is. Very distinctive instrument. Love the dobro. Definitely puts me in mind of the late great Rory Gallagher. Change is the theme here, he says in the notes, a change for him in his playing and a change for Jonah as he becomes one with the whale, absorbed into its essence and effecting his own kind of change on the animal.
“Gleaning the Tuesday sun” is certainly an odd title, but then when you're writing instrumentals you can call them what you like, can't you? I think this reminds me a little of “Son of soothsayer” off the previous album, but I'll have to go back and check. Bit of jazzy fusion coming in here now, as Plankton boogies along and basically just has fun with the tune. The drum pattern is interesting too, kind of sparse and minimal, leaving the guitars to take centre stage. It's a real jam, and very impressive it is too. Also one of the longer tracks, pushing the five-and-a-half minute mark. Skitching is apparently the practice of grabbing a car's bumper while on a skateboard,
a la Marty McFly in “Back to the Future”, and in colder climes can also be done in the snow, presumably on skates rather than a skateboard. It also, Plankton tells us in the liner notes, occurs underwater, where smaller fish catch a ride on a larger one.
This then is the theme of the next track, “Skitch”, which has a big heavy growling guitar driving it, with a sort of echo or feedback effect making it seem very expansive and vast. A great little bassline then near the end as the guitars take a backseat, then they're roaring back for the conclusion, taking us into “Not quite the end”, an expressive, reflective song wherein the dobro makes its appearance again, and some soft keys too, sounding like a choir humming and also conjuring up a sense of cavernous space. Apparently this won first prize in an “unplugged” contest Plankton entered it for, and well deserved. He makes the dobro sound like a mandolin at times, and there's some truly lovely instrumentation here. Kind of a mixture of folk, blues and even progressive rock I feel.
And all too soon we're closing, with the striding, swaggering “Hollow city limits”, with a great resounding bass line and a much slower, not quite grinding but almost majestic rhythm, a great overall melody that brings to mind maybe Jonah exploring the innards of the whale before he realises where he is, or while he has time, waiting to be digested and absorbed. I guess it could be the only time a human has been in side a whale and maybe he wants to at lest take what he can from what w ill be the last experience of his life. It's quite a poignant track, one of my favourites now that I've heard it. Love the way the music seems to echo as if Plankton were playing in a large empty space, conjuring up the inside of the leviathan.
Having spoken to the creator though, I find I am completely wrong in my assumption above. This is, in fact, where the newly-created organism that is now known as "Jonah" --- whether it's a melding of whale and human (?) or something else I don't know --- arrives at the enigmatic Hollow City, which he will apparently be exploring in the next few albums (hooray! More albums!) so so much for my interpretation! Either way though, it's a powerful end to a very powerful album, and bringing to a close the trilogy of transformation and transcendence that he began in “The Dream”, which I now have to listen to as a matter of urgency.
TRACKLISTING
1. Cetacea
2. Jonah
3. Eye of the storm
4. Wiggles
5. You're not to blame
6. Sunshine express
7. Gleaning the Tuesday sun
8. Skitch
9. Not quite the end
10. Hollow City limits
And so we have another fine, fine album from this guitar virtuoso who will surely sweep the award in this category in the MB 2014 Awards, and if he doesn't then there's no justice in the world. A four or five-piece band could scarcely put together such an album, and as you all know, I've waxed poetic more than once on how hard it can be to review an instrumental album, even listen to one without getting bored. But that never even entered into this here. This album keeps the interest all the way through, and the only disappointment is when it ends. If you've heard it (and you should) you may find yourself rethinking your album of the year.
Yeah, there's no doubt that Plankton can stand up there with many of the big boys, and in fact if the world is anyway fair he should be joining them. Whether that happens or not though, this album stands, once again, as a testament to one man's talent and creative prowess, and to his determination to share this music with the world, by which we are all a little richer.
No, I will
not say I had a whale of a time! I have
some pride, you know. But this is certainly a beast of an album, and one you need to acquaint yourself with. Now, where's that tape of whale song I've been meaning to listen to?
(Note: although I have stopped the practice of illustrating my reviews with YouTubes, Plankton asked me to include a few, so they're above. They will at any rate give you an idea of what you can expect once you put on this powerhouse of an album).