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Reviews
ENTERTAINMENT
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May 1st, 2004
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-- SHERYL CROW's bloated, sterile take on the
Cat Stevens-penned ''The First Cut Is the Deepest''
left us pained. She redeems herself with a heartfelt
acoustic version from Sessions@AOL. ITUNES.COM
-- Interested in an underground stew of jazzy
electro-pop? Give a listen to the trumpet-laced
lullaby ''Systemitis'' by Seattle-based producer
PLAN B (a.k.a. James van Leuven). PLANBBOY.COM/MUSIC.HTML
-- THE SECRET MACHINES, who fuse the space rock
of Pink Floyd and Spiritualized, offer their debut
months ahead of its release. Don't miss the cinematic
ballad ''Leaves Are Gone.'' THESECRETMACHINES.COM
-- You'll have to wait until 2005 for a new WHITE
STRIPES album, but take heart in the blustering
blues of their ''Black Jack Davey,'' a good indication
that a rumored rarities disc will arrive by year's
end. ITUNES.COM
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Remerciements, April 2004(fr)
I must say that I was a little surprised at first
listen because I imagined Plan B to be more on
the sombre side... On the contrary, I found most
of the tracks more child-like in ambiance, and
more simplified, less tortured than Godspeed and
Co. For my part, I regard their work more along
the lines of Mum, who were able to create a completely
transcendant imaginary world for everyone who
knew how to listen and take the time to dream.
"Keepsake" left me with an
impression of joyful madness, wintery softness,
and spacy dreamscape, "in search of"
for example... magnificant and sincere. You'll
have understood that I was really pleased with
the EP and that it has found a place in the program
"the latecomers".
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La MagicBox l'émission, March 2004(fr)
Plan B is a collective from Seattle led by James
Van Leuven, one man band and a sort of West Coast
Xian Hawkins (Sybarite). Drummer for the noise
rockers Automaton, he consecrates himself here
to an electronica project that we might place
by default among Boards of Canada, Anticon, and
Playdoh. As much as Automaton's sound derive from
noise, Plan B takes off in a different direction,
the direction towards a diffused, but never quite
empty ambiance. Occasionally the album wanders
into the territory of Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk,
except here the sonority is definitely electronic.
...fleeting trumpet lines, the frenetic pounding
of a contrabass, chords in the distance, a guitar
in moorage, and even the delicate voice of a child
(why is it). Plan B plays with time (latchkey
kid), lets the instruments loose (systemitis),
and inverts the spatial plane putting a chaotic
rhythm in front of suspended instruments. Post-rock,
electronica, jazz, hip hop? A little of it all.
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"A Decouvrir Absolument", April
2004(fr)
You like caresses? The soft touch, the light stroke
that comforts, or gives you a happy feeling. Plan
B is one of these caresses. A music of loops,
child-like voices tucking you in under a warm
blanket that better supports the sometimes
cold aspects of these Mum (esque) compositions.
Plan B isn't so much a cradle as an EP that intelligently
relaxes.
Hypnotic, Keepsake takes on some elements of Massive
Attack (systemitis) careful to dunk them in a
bleach bath. A helpful sax, a malicious trompette,
Plan B surrounds itself with anything that will
waken the senses via the pleasure centers. Never
lame, always close to a "spirit of Eden"
(untitled) Plan B. What if Plan B is composing
the true melody of happiness?
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Liability: Plan B, Keepsake Review, http://www.liabilitywebzine.com,
March 2003(fr)
Plan B is a group from Seattle that like to mix
musical genres. We can call their music indie
electronica, even if their hip hop and trip hop
influences are equally identifiable at first listen.
They've already played with Radio 4 (DFA) and
Modest Mouse, as well as in clubs, museums, bars,
and art galleries. This new five song album, recorded
during the summer of 2003, will be released this
summer on the Parisian label GG0022. Eschewing
a lead voice, Plan B prefers to leave something
open to the listener's imagination. Their sound
can't really be described on paper. Alternating
electronic tones, trip hop bass, and hip hop beats;
all interwoven into abstract compositions and
vague constructions.
The vocals seems more like murmurs. The five experimental
tracks form a strong whole that fits together
perfectly. The cello on 'why is it?" or the
dark moods of "systemitis" always fit.
"Keepsake" is a different sort of ambient
music, that delves in all areas to create an irreal
music. On "untitled" the guitar is reminiscent
of a post rock experiment, while the electronic
feel quickly returns for "in search of".
No time to get comfortable, Plan B changes colors
with each track, without loosing itself in tiresome
experimentation
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Trampoline
House: The HEAT Issue.
August, 2004 out of New York
This is a big issue for us — it marks our
one year anniversary, and we think it’s
our BEST issue yet. http://trampolinehouse.com/0106
Featured Artist and MP3
preview: Plan B - Daylight Breaking 3:32, Pre-Release
from the upcoming LP. There is music that requires
a certain mood -- "I'm just not in the mood
for sex pistols," or "I could really
go for some biz markie right about now" --
and then there's music that creates its own mood.
Plan B's 'Daylight Breaking' falls into the latter
category. Soft, warm and optimistic as a spring
morning (a weekend spring morning), 'daylight
breaking' is a revelry in a new day -- in all
possible interpretations. James van Leuven calls
upon the lilting, bouyant violin of Jen Kozel(quasi,
elliot smith) and the sweetsweet voice of labelmate
Amy Blaschke to wring a subtelty, gentleness and
yes, warmth, out of his electronic composition
that -- admit it -- you didn't know was possible.
If you don't like this one, you're hopeless.
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Trampoline
House: The RADIO Issue.
July, 2004
This is a big issue for us — it marks our
one year anniversary, and we think it’s
our BEST issue yet. http://trampolinehouse.com/0105
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ENTERTAINMENT
WEEKLY, DOWNLOAD
THIS
May 1st, 2004
Although "Latchkey Kid," Seattle producer
Plan B's ephemeral groove, is posted on his website,
the rest of his latest EP, Keepsake, is available
only in France. C'est la vie, PLANBBOY.COM
