Plasticland "Color Appreciation" (1984)

A TRIP TO MUSHROOM COUNTY

• O.K. This band loved their acid. A lot of sixties influenced acid bands arose in the eighties drawing on a range of influences, primarily from sixties garage bands made infamous on compilations such as the Pebbles series, launched in 1979, which spawned thousands of bands trying to recreate the sound of those heady times of mid to late sixties suburban America, when acid dripped through the consciousness of suburban brats everywhere.

• Plasticland obviously knew their acid culture, but they and bands like them, expanded the work done in the sixties into a very carefully crafted underground artform of the eighties, consistent with the sounds that spawned the obnoxious counter culture twenty years before. Plasticland remind me of acid academics, recreating an artform from an historic standpoint, yet at the same time giving the impression of living the lifestyle to the hilt from the vantage of 20 years experience. Their fashion sense echoed psychedelic London circa 1967, which probably means they didn't want to be labelled too closely as garage rock, but I've labelled them as that so there!

• These guys were smart. Most of the brainbuds were from vocalist Glenn Rehse and bass player John Frankovic. The songs range in tempo from some fast distorted rides like 'Elongations' to the tripped out madness of 'Sipping the Bitterness'. The back up vocals are are a perfect addition to Rehses' vocals and the guitar of Dan Mullen knocks me every time, especially with the fuzzbox and distortion kicking in. The songs have been calculated to cause maximum effect and although that raw edge has been contained somewhat in comparison to alot of Pebbles stuff, that doesn't mean to say that the songs on this album sound contrived. Side one is almost perfect. Color Appreciation is the second best of Plasticlands' four albums and is highly recommended. It was released on the French label Lolita.

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