Listening to the third release from Plankeye, Commonwealth, it becomes strikingly obvious that there's nothing wrong with getting better. The band has come out of the garage with a cleaner, leaner sound, full of loud melody, without losing the energy and sonic irreverence that gave them their edge in the first place. Lyrically, the band is just as fearless; where "alternative" bands are often afraid to come right out and say anything, the songs on Commonwealth come right to the point: Many of the songs are hard rock prayers, directed toward Christ, full of hard-knocks wisdom and humility; other songs deal frankly with love and life, with the everyday occurrences that end up in your prayer life. Some people feel like music is somehow cooler when played badly and pointlessly; fortunately, bands like Plankeye believe in the importance of striving to make your art and your craft better. Commonwealth is a step forward, a rock-fest which pulls no punches.
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse June 1996Reviewed by Doug HeckmanGrowth and maturity are probably the two best words to describe Commonwealth, Plankeye's latest effort. Much remains the same; Scott Silletta's voice still sounds unpolished and raw, the music still has the same energy and feel of their first two releases, Spill and The Spark. However, much has changed as well. Gone are the pop-punk influences that were prevalent before, and in their place? Solid…Similar sounding releases
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