Plunkett
14 Days Album Sampler
What do you get when you cross an ex-metal/prog-rock guitar smith from Norfolk with a classically trained Italian pianist who has a fancy for dance music?
Well if you’re Lara Bartocci and Ian George Plunkett, the first thing you get, is married. The second thing you do is stick two fingers up to the ‘big wheel’ music industry and strike out with your own philosophy of keeping yourselves independent and writing music to move people. Well so says Plunkett’s website and judging by the two songs on offer here (‘The River’ and ‘Just Rise’), they are not far off their mark.
‘The River’ starts with a rolling acoustic guitar, gently trickling out the notes while Ian’s voice washes over things with a deep, laid-back resonance. The tune then develops with some sweeping vocal melodies which, surprisingly, have a folky undercurrent, all backed up with some beautiful guitar work. Its almost like the Levellers getting a surprise visit from Chris Rea and deciding to have an introspective acoustic day (and if you think that sounds bad then think again, it’s really very good).
‘Just Rise’ initially kicks off sounding a bit like an acoustic version of the Charlatans ‘North Country Boy’, but this soon changes as a grunge influence becomes more apparent as things progress. Drums, bass, and backing vocals are all clear and present in this track but it’s the edgy, yet relaxed melody coupled with a slide guitar that are the song’s hallmarks. Not as immediately memorable as ‘The River’, ‘Just Rise’, with its Pearl Jam meets Country feel, is definitely a grower, getting better with repeated plays.
As a two-song sampler to the album, Plunkett have managed to serve up two courses of the highest standards. Both tracks are exceptionally well written and effortlessly performed and, if this is their consistent standard, then their album should be nothing short of excellent. Besides anyone willing to put a link on their site to Noam Chomsky and Bill Hicks is always a sign that they’re going to be worth listening to.
Written by Habert on
