Egocentric Plastic Men are BACK, BABY!
Happy 2017, all! It has been... interesting. From politics to celebrity beef (which, considering our President is a former reality TV show host, might be the same thing), we've seen a lot in just over two months. However, the good news is, there is new music. To kick off the year we've got the release of "Weeks! Months! Years!" by my new friends in Egocentric Plastic Men! (Check out my interview with the band last May here!)
We're going to do this release a little bit differently and focus on each of the songs individually.
Run - This song sounds like a combination between Blink 182 and Foo Fighters. The vocals give off major "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," vibes meanwhile the guitars seem slightly more like "The Pretender." The chorus is catchy and fun, making it extremely easy for fans to sing it back.
Heard - First instinct? "Dammit," Blink 182. Second to last instinct? "What Did You Expect," Neck Deep. Last instinct? "What's My Age Again?" Blink 182. There is a heavy pop punk influence, without a doubt.
Veronica - Finding their footing and bringing in the early 2000's pop punk, this gives off vague "Feelin' This," vibes. This is the first single off of the new album!! You can find it on their Facebook pages if you need something to tide you over.
Mike's Song - This is sad. It's somewhat heart breaking, to be completely honest. There is something different about it and they've managed to do something that people tend to make difficult. They've taken a sad song and put it to an uptempo musical background. ** My album pick**
Say Something Else - GO BASS! This is a heavily bass-driven song and I love it. It's also one of the more original songs that I've heard on this release. I can hear that the sound is influenced but only vaguely.
Hazelnuts - This song has a serious storytelling aspect. All of EPM's songs have a story behind them but this is direct. It is upfront. I just wouldn't want to be whoever this was about, to be honest.
Don't Do It, Kylo - We find ourselves back at this Blink 182 feeling. However, it brings in some brass which is different and fun. It makes this song more unique and I really like it. It's a dance-able song and the bass in the background really makes it.
Oh Love, Don't Leave Me Out in the Cold - This song makes me a little bit confused, and I'm not blaming the lyrics (I've been all over the place for the last few days). I'm just not sure who 'you' is (it seems like there might be two 'yous'), it doesn't really matter. It's a good song. It's up-tempo and I can see it being a big hit at live shows, for sure. I dig it.
We're The Ones - Get your friends. Yell the words back. I really like this song as well. I think for the nine songs on this album, this is a great way to start wrapping this up. Much like "Say Something Else," there is that vague influence but it really is EPM's song - which is what I'm looking for in a new band.
London - This song is one of the outliers on the album - which could be good for a finishing song. It might be a hint at how their new release will progress. It's slower and brings in violins. That addition in itself makes it seem like a much more "full" sounding song. If this is the direction they're headed, I'm ready for it.
The truth is, I've had this album for a while and it took me a long time to write about it simply because I wasn't sure what to say. At the start of the album, it reminded me a lot of "Batteries Not Included," with the influences playing such a huge role. However, the more I listened to it, the more I liked it, especially the later songs.
It's important to note that this is only their second release and they've made progress as a band since their debut. As a fan (and Internet friend), I am really proud of them. I will definitely go to see them live whenever I can. As a music fan, I'd love to see the type of sound they have in "Say Something Else," and "We're the Ones," and run with it. I'd love for them to continue pushing their album even further.
But this is only my opinion, feel free to make your own! Support your local scene. Support musicians. PLEASE go pick up your own copy of "Weeks! Months! Years!" It's available on February 17 and if you're in the Philadelphia/Atlantic City area, make sure you stop by the album release party at JJ's Diner on release day at 7:30 pm. Thanks for reading!
