After hearing the Scott Silletta-less Plankeye perform "Away in a Manger" for the BEC Recordings Christmas sampler Happy Christmas, my initial thought was that Silletta had swum away from a sinking ship. Thankfully, Plankeye's latest album, Relocation, proves me wrong, at least to an extent.
In case you were unaware, lead vocalist Silletta and drummer Adam Ferry left the pop-punk band last year, Ferry to get into full-time ministry and Silletta to pursue other ventures in the music industry. Plankeye is now comprised of guitarist/vocalist Eric Balmer and vocalist/bassist Luis Garcia. Frank Lenz (Fold Zandura, The Lassie Foundation) plays drums on the album, and the infamous Gene Eugene plays keyboards. Garcia's vocals are more nasal than Silletta's, although still good in their own right.
Relocation takes a drastically different musical direction than its predecessor, One and Only. While One and Only was speedy and more punk-flavoured, Relocation is slower, more thoughtful, and overall takes a more rock approach. Many of the lyrics seem directed toward the departed Silletta, such as "Say Now That You're Sorry":
Say now, that you're sorry
I forgive you. I promise to
Restore now, the order
That we once had before this all came
Down now
It's so useless
We're wasting the members that we've been given
I miss you
The standout track on the album, however, is the slow, moody "Goodbye." Over a bed of piano and gently distorted guitar, Garcia, voice straining with emotion, sings:
Something woke me up in the midst of dream and fantasy
Halfway there
But He always fills my cup
And He lifts me up, oh, how He lifts me up
Goodbye
Walk away, it's time to say goodbye
Relocation is far from the best Plankeye album (Commonwealth gets that honor)--much of the record is mere filler material, and one wishes Garcia and Balmer would have taken more time to write and choose songs for it. However, it is a good album in its own right, and does a good job representing the next era of Plankeye.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #78Reviewed by Ben MengdenThere's two questions that come to mind: Do they sound like Plankeye? And Is the album any good? Let's hold off on the answers for just a moment. I've had the good fortune of digging this band's stuff for a while. I personally think this band has been amazingly influential within their musical domain. The gradual move from edgy / punky / indie rock to more indie rock / pop rock was an interesting…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Tommy JollyI find myself listening to this CD quite a bit, but I still can't say I like it. For the most part, Eric Balmer and Luis Garcia hold their own without Scott Silletta and Adam Ferry, exhibiting their power-pop strengths on "Say Now That You're Sorry," "I Can't Complain," and "You Got It." A couple of ballads, "Goodbye" and "Indivisible," also reflect the pain and forgiveness the band has gone…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Israel KlossThis is not your brother's or sister's Plankeye. Along with their switch to the Reformed denomination, this relatively mature Christian band switched its sound. One song that is particularly enjoyable and well-done is "Break My Fall," which sounds like Sting wrote and recorded it. Although they can't be accused of stagnating, whether their change is preferable will vary from listener to listener.…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Steve WhiteWhat happens to a band when the lead singer and drummer leave? They break up, right? Not in Plankeye's case. Guitar player Eric Balmer and bass player Luis Garcia have kept the band's name to record the new album Relocation for BEC. Lead singer Scott Silletta is now fronting Fanmail and drummer Adam Ferry is on staff at a California church. This is the band's fifth album, and their first for BEC.…Similar sounding releases
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