Rating 4.0
Nothing like what I hoped for.I LOVE Relocation. It's somewhere in my top 10 cds of all time. I could not wait for Strange Exchange to come out and of course bought it the first day it was released without having heard one song. The album (with a few tracks that are the exception) is bad. It is nothing like what it could have and should have been. It's not good. It's slow and weird and boring. I always give albums many chances to persuade me to like them--but no matter how many times I listen to this one, it just reminds me more and more of how poor it really is. RELOCATION (their previous album) is awesome and deserves much praise! If you are deciding on which CD to get--have no doubts that Relocation is the better choice--no contest. It makes me sad that such a great band even made this (Strange Exchange) CD.Plankeye Finally Defining ItselfAs the great Newton himself set aside pre-conceived notions so as to allow the creation of wondrous scientific discoveries within his own mind, let us then examine this release from Plankeye in the same fashion. But seriously, THIS IS SOMETHING NEW! The vocals are ten times better than Relocation, the absence of Scott all but unnoticable by now. And the lyrics, while the depth of emotion that they bring may surpass many, the lyrics are something to be read, contemplated, and ultimately treasured. They bring a completeness to the songs that Plankeye has never before had. That said, please judge Strange Excange on its own merits. "The Spark" was a great cd, "Commonwealth" even better, "One and Only" was average, and "Relocation" new, different . . . but good, if not great soft rock. The unifying characteristic on all of these cds is that each one brings something new and different to the Plankeye mythos. Therefore, do not blast "Strange Exchange" because it isn't an extension of "Relocation" - the band has already "relocated," Adam and Scott are gone. And now, with "Strange Exchange" they have finally moved on. Just know that it is a combination of unique and powerful vocals, lyric-driven songs, and inspired (if not, at times, spine-tingling) melodies. Thank you, and happy listening.It ain't Relocation, but its very good!I agree with the other reviewer who gave it 2 stars. This CD is NOT "Relocation, Part 2" -- so if you're hoping to get another dose of that, you won't find it here. Well, maybe the first song, "This Is". It's full of crunchy, beefy guitars and the production on that song is top-notch. But a lot of this CD does indeed sound more like their earlier releases. Not to mention that the cover art is flat-out poor. And the song "My Wife" is so sappy and sentimental that I have to fast forward past it every time it comes on.But wait a second, you say. If I can say such negative things about the CD, why would I rate it FIVE STARS?!? Well, many of the songs are not worse than Relocation, just different. Anyone who listens to Christian rock radio has probably heard "The Meaning Of It All", liked it, and not even realized that it was Plankeye. It's a great song. And "Chemicals And Sleep" is dealing with a pretty big issue, even if it doesn't let you into the specifics. If anyone remembers bands like The Swoon and the Prayer Chain, you'll maybe have an idea of how some (not all) of this music sounds. But there is something more here, something happening under the surface. I think someone in the band has experienced a deep, fundamental change, and you can feel it. It pervades the music. You can hear it when Eric sings, "Be a tempest to this house, test my strength and bring it down." And you can hear it in the closing song, a song so raw and honest that the band left a blank space in the CD booklet where the lyrics should have been. The song starts off quietly, but builds and crackles to life with guitars that remind me of something from Bush's CD, "Letting The Cables Sleep". The song continues to build until there are multiple guitars, multiple choruses, all layered on top of each other as the singer lets loose with a soaring chorus: "This, this is the night, of my daughter's last rites... this, this is the night...." And I have to tell you, I was not prepared for the sudden push into something so shocking, so powerful. It left me unsettled, shaking. And deeply, deeply moved. |
