Album Review: Plastic Yellow Band ‘Breathe Air’
Plastic Yellow Band — the South Carolina-based “New Classic Rock” outfit — incorporate rock influences from the 60’s and 70’s with modern progressive elements to create a sonic profile both fresh and nostalgic simultaneously. As the vehicle for lead singer and songwriter Gerry Jennings to express his art and propel it forward, Plastic Yellow Band are set to do just that with their debut release ‘Breathe Air.’
The album opener ‘Lonely Place’ is a ballad through and through. With keys and synth in tow, the stage is set for Jennings to shine. About a quarter of the way through, the rest of the instruments make themselves known whilst keeping the tempo and atmosphere unchanged. While ‘Lonely Place’ is a solid track, it seems out of place as an opener.
‘She’s My Woman’ floods forth with the kind of Blues-laden energy that served as the foundation of the classic rock genre. With chunky, distorted guitars and crafty slidesmanship on the fretboard, ‘She’s My Woman’ is a definite standout early on.
With the stripped down acoustics of ‘Nowhere’ channeling musicians of old and the plugged in fare of ‘Nervous Stuff’ siphoning the same, Plastic Yellow Band harness two sides of the same coin, allowing both to shimmer with radiance and clarity throughout the mix without one ever exceeding the other — a prevailing theme from end to end. Maintaining such a balance throughout is no easy task, yet it’s accomplished here, and, musically speaking, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Stream the album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/plastic-yellow-band/sets/debut-cd-breathe-air
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BandPYB