Plastic Palace Alice - Like a Light (Album)

Triple J unearthed Melbourne six-piece Plastic Palace Alice. With such an auspicious introduction to the Australian population at large, the band dropped debut ,'The Great Depression'. Now comes the fraught second album, 'Like a Light'.

Plastic Palace Alice has both male and female vocals, with Rob McDowell sharing duties on the mic with Emily Taylor. Similar to Spiderbait and one-time Brisbane darlings George, each of the vocalists brings to the songs a little something different. This will pull the listener in alternate directions and perhaps take them out of their comfort zone. It also makes the album harder to pigeon-hole.

But this is not the biggest determining factor for or against 'Like a Light'. Strange as it may sound, it is Plastic Palace Alice’s confidence and willingness to commit on tracks that makes or breaks. It is no coincidence that stand-out tracks on the album have a few things in common. Those with a rock edge, plenty of drums and walls of sound work a treat. Others seem to timidly take their place in the line-up, often with an English retro pop feel – and proving to be eminently forgettable.

'Tracks Hell House' and 'Blind Philosopher' don’t work – not least because of the effort that seems to have gone into trying to make them seem deep and meaningful (just look at the titles). Band members try so hard to channel David Bowie (a clear influence) that they fail to play to their strengths.

Instead, 'No Shame' introduces a synthesised beat before launching into a rock track that won’t let up. A stand-out on the album. 'Zeitgeist Blues' is another track with a title in danger of taking itself too seriously, laying Plastic Palace Alice open to criticism of self-serving grandeur. But from a harmonica the track builds up a nice head of steam and provides plenty of energy.

Taylor’s vocal delivery on track 'En Mass' has a distinct pitch no-one should like, but it somehow works. An innocence prevails on the delivery for both this track and 'So This Is How You’ll Explode'.

While there is plenty of scope, there are definite hits and misses on Like a Light. When the band commits to a track with plenty of zeal, it seems to work. When the tone is subdued or Plastic Palace Alice takes itself too seriously, as in 'Blind Philosopher', it doesn’t work. It’s a pity, given the Triple J seal of approval and the weight of expectations this may well bring with it.

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