Orange County's second favorite Christian band, Plankeye, has become known for changing its sound every time out, and this fourth record, The One and Only, is no exception to that plank-rule. Having moved away from the punk rock of their first great record, Spill, into the classic rock of Commonwealth, Plankeye has now travelled to a post-punk pop sound much like that of modern rock darlings, the Foo Fighters.
The Planks have added a rhythm guitar player, Ryan Dennee, to fill out the new sound on tour. Ryan joins Scott Silletta at vocals, Eric Balmer on guitar, Luis Garcia the bass player/producer of the album, and Adam Ferry behind the drums. The new sound is bigger and thicker than ever, thanks in large part to the pristine production by Garcia and the prolific Gene Eugene. The record starts out with an up-tempo Wallflowers-like rocker that includes, for the first time on a Plankeye CD, a harmonica. This has caused some consternation among the fans of the band, and it's not the only controversial element on this album. Plankeye seems to be willing to alienate a few old fans and gain a few new fans in the pursuit of their art. Fortunately, the first cut on the record, a happy song called "Someday," doesn't set the mood for the rest of the album. Plankeye changes gears with a darker, driving tune, "How Much I Don't Know," that talks about God opening the doors and the guys testing the locks. This more serious tune better sets the mood of the record, and checking locks, pushing on doors, changing directions, and testing the musical waters is what this album is about.
The band gets a tad experimental with a few songs on the album. "Playground" is a fun song about our conflict with the world as believers, with some extra din thrown in. "Fall Down" is a full-tilt rock ballad taken from Psalms 20 and 39. Oftentimes with growth and change comes conflict. It's been reported that the song "Let's Try Again Tomorrow" was born out of a band fight over where to locate. The band almost broke up over this conflict but, of course, ended up writing a song about making up and moving on. The last ditty listed on the CD is a tune called "Sterling" and has a break with some backward-mixing and other strange sounds in the mix. However, the actual last song is a hidden track that comes on about ten minutes after "Sterling" has ended. It's a laugh-out-loud kind of drinking song by Garcia that starts out quietly with whispering guitars but gets very loud with the guys clanking bottles, laughing, and yelling the chorus of "Boom De Yadda."
The lyrics are thoughtful and Plankeye has come up with some very catchy new tunes to tap one's feet to on this record. Scott's voice sounds great and the band is tight and talented, holding together a controlled abandon. The One and Only is full of power pop, but nothing really rocks out at full speed and volume. I would have liked to have heard the guys not hold back on a song or two.
I'm not complaining too much, though; this is a solid record by a fast-changing and maturing band. Fans of Plankeye may have to let this one grow on them, but The One and Only fits right into my musical tastes at the moment. Arguably, this nearly perfect pop-rock record is Plankeye's best album yet.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
7ball #16Reviewed by Dan MacIntoshThe One And Only begins with a glorious blast of pounding drums, a wailing harmonica, and a bouncing guitar riff which announces through the song "Someday" that Plankeye has once again hit the bull's-eye with its piercingly sharp rock 'n' roll. Plankeye's sound is an unlikely mixture of punk passion, hyperactive new wave, and simple, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll. The instruments are distinctive…Puddlegum 1998Reviewed by R.J. JohnsonThere are many great things to be said about Plankeye's latest contribution to the music scene. One of the most noteworthy occurrences is the way that many of the lyrics on "The One and Only" read like poetry, providing a comfortable atmosphere and 46 minutes of thought provoking tunes. The overall theme of this album would have to lie somewhere in the area of personal relationships and the…Puddlegum 1998Reviewed by Paul DendiuThe latest release from one of Christian alternative's premiere bands has had me scratching my head for quite some time now. I might end up with a sizeable hole in my noggin if I can't find a logical explanation soon. A logical explanation, that is, for why a band that has such deep roots in the world of Christian rock would risk tarnishing the name of an industry that it had a substantial role…Similar sounding releases
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