A Planet In Space - As The Pieces Come Together (EP)
Simple rules for life. (1) If you are wearing an Atari t-shirt and you have never played River Raid- Take it off. (2) If you are wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and you don’t know the two planets that featured Imperial Walkers- Take it off. (3) If you are wearing a Che Guevera t-shirt and you don’t know who he was- Take it off. (4) If you are a band featuring two vocalists and you don’t do ANY call-and-response on your new EP- Have a good hard look at yourself! And thereby begins and ends my criticism of the stellar debut EP by Melbourne’s A Planet in Space. It is absolutely fantastic. Featuring two drummers and two vocalists/guitarists, this band is anything but orthodox. And neither is their EP As The Pieces Come Together. Now the temptation to use the term ‘genre-defying’ is extremely strong at this point, but I will resist. I will say, however, that this EP seamlessly flows from roots to metal and everything in between in a complete defiance of genre. Damn.
Some of you, who have had the misfortune of reading some of my previous work will remember that I can’t stand roots music. Primarily this is because it is rubbish. So when I say that I think this album and it is ‘rootsy’ is saying a lot for the sheer diversity in this bands delivery. Each song is like a little musical degustation menu, offering little slices of feel that blend perfectly together. Adding to this is the rhythm provided up the dual drummers. Many other bands have favoured this set-up but in many cases it provides nothing apart from novelty. I would put Wolf & Cub firmly in this category. However, here their interplay produces a driving polyrhythm in sections that lifts the music well above a run-of-the-mill sound that could begin to share far too much with the rash-inducing likes of Live or the Counting Crows. Add to this the different complexions provided by the two singers and you have a fascinating, compelling sound. The highlight of the album is the mini-rock opera that closes the album. A musical triptych that begins with a slow burning soul number and eventually progresses to a metal workout in the third part of the suite, via an electronic bridge section!
Tracks can be heard and bought through their slick website (www.aplanetinspace.com), along with some cracking live performances.
Despite the criminal lack of call-and-response, I have this one on high rotation. Ridiculously highly recommended.
4.5 well-groomed goatees out of 5.
