Don’t judge a book by its cover. It’s a good life lesson, that – however clichéd it might be. It’s worth bearing in mind when you first encounter My Plastic Sun. Sure, their EP cover might feature a bunch of awkwardly posed Barbie dolls, but Aqua they are not. As it happens, I have a theory that Aqua were actually one of the most potent political protest groups of the ’90s (Have you ever read the lyrics to “Barbie Girl”?) but that’s neither here nor there.
My Plastic Sun look a little further back into pop history for their inspirations, or maybe just at the “B” shelf of their local record store: much love is offered to The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Burt Bacharach. The latter will, for me, always be associated with Austin Powers (Is that a good thing? Who knows.), but you could certainly do worse for people to emulate. When they do look to contemporaries, they’re suckers for ambient and dream-pop leanings – think Broken Bells, Beach House and (in a dramatic break from the “B…” tradition) Deerhunter.
They’re a Rochester, NY-based pair: Johnny Cummings, who handles vocals and lead guitar; and Roy Stein, who handles the drums, programming and pizza ordering, apparently – undoubtedly the most important role in any group. They also both muck in as far as synths, keyboards, rhythm guitars and the like are concerned. There’s even a Mellotron involved! Fun fact: I would love a Mellotron. If you fancy buying one for me, get in touch. They’re very reasonably priced – usually about five grand. Realising their mutual love of ’60s pop staples, the two thought they might as well make a gig of it.
The result is a self-titled, three-track EP that is self-produced, but sure as hell doesn’t sound it. It’s opener, “Give It All Away”, is an absolute gem, sitting somewhere between The Beatles’ “Oh! Darling” and Venus Hum‘s “Turn Me Around”, with just a hint of Oasis‘ “The Hindu Times” in the opening. If that’s not a recipe for a good song right there, then frankly there isn’t one. Johnny’s vocals really shine when he’s up at the top of his register – he’s blessed with the same soaring falsetto as Greg Gilbert.
While “Give It All Away” is the stand-out, both “House Of Fun” and “Blue Tigers And The Love Brigade” can certainly hold their own. Joe of Give Pop A Chance! noted the air of Blur, and there’s a definite whiff of “The Universal” on the latter. Admittedly, the “House Of Fun” vocal melody veers perilously close to S Club 7′s “Bring It All Back” in the chorus, but I’m willing to overlook that because … Well, because it’s not shit. Besides, there’s some “Dock Of The Bay“-type whistling. That qualifies it for instant redemption in my book.
All in all, the EP is a strong debut from a band who I confidently predict will go far. Johnny and Roy have the musical nous to appeal to the most discerning of listeners, but it doesn’t come at the expense of the basic sensibility required to write an engaging tune. Combine that with their determined DIY ethic, and they can’t go wrong. You can check out “Give It All Away” below, or follow the links for the rest of the tracks.
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