III: It's All About the Music (Hey! What do you want from me? I've written nearly 2,500 words already and we haven't even begun the review! I'm running out of ideas here!)
The Dream – Planktons Odyssey – 2009
Ah, sure it's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen for years and years! Gentle, slowly jangling guitar with soft and measured percussion, and what sounds like, but surely is not, a flute there too (keyboards? Hell, could be made on the guitar for all I know, and given Plankton's expertise, I would not be surprised) takes us into “Rise” as the album begins on a slightly low-key note, more I guess restrained than much of Plankton's music, though no less brilliant for his toning it back a little. I'd venture to suggest, in my uninformed opinion, that there are a minimum of three guitars here. It is of course, as is almost all of Plankton's work, instrumental, and yet as often happens the man makes the guitar all but sing. And I don't mean by using a talk box, which I don't believe he's employing here: it's just he can be, and is, such an expressive guitarist that, in a Gallagher, Moore or Santana way, he literally can make that Strat or Fender talk. And it's a sweet poem that it relates. Lovely opener, very short; but then there's nothing long on this album, nothing over three minutes, and unfortunately only six tracks, but we work with what we have.
“Farewell to the Sea” takes me by surprise, with its superb and haunting piano intro, and what sounds like strings in the background as the guitar comes in. I'm assuming that's made on synth, since I don't believe Plankton has ever hired an orchestra or string section to help out on his music. Despite the soft and relaxed opening it's not long before the guitar is back taking control, shredding, squealing, firing off riffs left, right and centre as Plankton's fingers dance across, up and down the fretboard working his magic. Since he told me he only once worked with someone else who provided keyboards (“Canadian Mist” on
Krill) I'm going to assume that's himself on the piano, and if so, well, his talent just grows and grows and continues to impress, doesn't it?
One of the most emotional and heart-rending pieces of music he's ever recorded (or that I've heard anyway), “Farewell to the Sea” has a yearning, melancholy and lonely quality that just makes you wish it was longer, but sadly it's less than two minutes. I know less is more and all that, but maybe he'll consider doing a longer version? At any rate, the guitar histrionics don't at all take from the beautiful piano backing, and this has certainly moved into my Plankton top ten, taking a position very near the top (though I doubt “Son of Soothsayer” will ever be toppled). Tremendous piece of music, fair brings a tear to a glass eye. Nicest thing I've heard since “Fields of Youth”.
“Metamorphosis” sounds like it starts on organ, and reminds me of the main melody of The Alan Parsons Project's “You Won't Be There” from the album
Eve, then gains a sort of slow stride about it, a staggered guitar line running along the main melody almost like a keyboard arpeggio or something, while another guitar quietly whines in the background. Almost, but not quite, a sense of a Celtic reel or jig or something trying to break through. The main guitar then gets more ringing and sort of echoey as it fades out and “Power Process” sounds big and dangerous, with a synthy style growl to open it, weirdly sounding like an Australian didgeridoo! Guitar slicing through now in almost a Pink Floyd “Run Like Hell” kind of phased manner, before the main riff breaks through and punches you right in the face with a Maidenesque shred which just goes right for the throat.
This is the first time the music really rocks, and anyone unfamiliar with his work might, up to now, think Plankton was an ambient musician. He can, of course, be that too, but he's at his best when he winds it up and lets it go, and here he does just that, grinding out the riffs like the sun has set for the final time and this is his last chance. Music for the Apocalypse? Possibly. Got some cheering on there, don't know if that's real or taped, but hell, I'm cheering too. The penultimate cut (yeah we're there already, I know!) is “Flight of the Killer Plankton”, which has a very dark, almost industrial feel to it: slow and grindy, with what sound like marimba or something tapping out before the guitar riffs up and takes the tune. Sort of an early Metallica feel on this one, mixed with maybe mid-seventies Sabbath and a slice of Thomas Dolby into the bargain. Cool. It's one of the two longest ones, at nearly three and a half minutes, but still not long enough. So much riffing and shredding here you wonder the guy's fingers don't just fall off!
And all too soon we're at the end, with “Floating in Another Time” a spacey, atmospheric kind of opening, wind sounds and other effects before a very melodious and almost West Coast-style guitar slips in, soft but insistent percussion taking the track in a really relaxed direction. Luckily this closer has room to breathe too, running for just short of three minutes, and there's some powerful feedback to contend with too as Plankton starts to, quite possibly, leave this realm and ascend to a higher one of which we mortals are unaware and which we can only glimpse through his expressive riffing and mesmerising solos. It looks real nice up there though. Oh, there's a quote from Lewis Carroll at the end. That's... um, interesting.
TRACK LISTING
Rise
Farewell to the Sea
Metamorphosis
Power Process
Flight of the Killer Plankton
Floating in Another Time
I get the impression this is a concept album, whether it's the evolution of plankton (with a small p) or just a dream it's having that it could evolve, and I can follow the storyline if so, but it's very short for a concept piece. I think everyone knows me well enough now to understand that I won't pretend to like something just because it's created by a friend; I like to give as honest an opinion as I can, and while I won't deliberately crush anyone's hopes or rag on their music unnecessarily – one of my favourite get-out lines in those cases is “it's not my sort of thing but...” - I do like to be as positive as I can manage to be, within reason. At the same time, I also ensure not to lick anyone's nether parts, by gushing over an album just because it is by a friend or someone I know. That sort of criticism is pointless and disingenuous, and unfair also, I believe, to the artist.
Of course, there's little chance I'm ever going to be in such a quandary with the music Plankton makes. I may not love it all, but I certainly like just about everything I've heard to date (with the possible exception of “Shoveled”) and I've liked it not because I've tried to or forced myself to, or ignored any minuses within the music (in fact, I've usually gone to reasonable lengths to point them out, if they exist) and this short album does, in the main, continue that experience. However I would be remiss, and no friend, if I didn't sound a small note of concern which occurs to me.
I guess there's only one thing wrong with this album, and that is that there is not enough of it. Come on, man! Seventeen minutes? We want, as the man said, more. There are no bad tracks here, and one which will live in my memory for a long time to come, but it is, I have to say, not indicative enough of the talent of this guy. It's too short to get a real idea, if you haven't heard any of his other work, of just how good he is, the songs he can write, the things he can do with that guitar. Mostly, it's a pretty laid back album, with a few kicks to the groin yes, but not enough, and in that way it falls, for me, just short of greatness.
What am I saying? It is great. But it could be greater. I need something more to get my musical teeth into – longer songs, and more of them. These are amazing, but it's a little difficult to review an album that's over so quickly, almost as soon as you start playing it. Of course, as was said about George, Plankton isn't our bitch, nor would we suggest he crank out another twenty classics just because we want them, but I would love to hear more well-rounded songs and pieces that take me places I never expected to go. This is undoubtedly a great album, but it could be so much more.
So far,
Krill still occupies top place for me, and this is unlikely to change that. But it's new Plankton material, and I'm happy to have heard it and get a chance to review it. I feel though, like I've heard the EP before the album.
Now, where's the album, Plankton?
Rating: 8.9/10
Note: No videos, but you can listen to the album in its entirety here
The Dream