PLANK

So it happens, I remembered about a group that I haven't listened to for a long time.... and here! English trio Plank! after a nine-year break, they published a new album, Future of the Sea, which was released in early 2023. Great instrumental progressive rock with post-rock twists! electric guitar, very good bass guitar, drums plus a synthesizer owned by the guitarist of this band. A very tenacious and exciting album lasting about 40 minutes .I'm seeing Mogwai (music for the movie Fountain) and guitar interactions of King Crimson of the early 80s...I 've listened to the album several times already ! and after a new audition, you notice something interesting for yourself.Four stars without any doubt! Perhaps this album claims to be the best instrumental prog-rock album released in 2023.

A Tale of Two Sides - One Excellent Math Rock, the other Good but not Exceptional Psych Rock

I've had good luck this year simply sifting through the best of 2023 lists, and Plank's FUTURE OF THE SEA has been one of the most pleasant surprises so far. As a fan of interconnected melodic lines, odd time signatures, and multi- textured music, the openings songs of this album hit all the right notes for me. In fact, I would rate the first five songs as some of my favorite math rock ever, to the point that I'm pushing my band to try out these songs and take inspiration from this album in our songwriting. My favorite is the song "Red Tide" which is in 13/8 but is a total groove. (I feel like I say that alot about prog albums I like - the ability to make odd time signatures groove induces the approving stank face every time). The timbre combination on this track is somewhat unique - classic synth sounds combined with distorted but not djenty guitar rather than big echo cleans. "Longshore Drift" is another track that does an excellent job of combining the nerd factor and the feels - prog at its best.

The first half of this album is up there for my favorite so far this year. However, we then get to the 6 part "Breaking Waves." This suite is quite good, but diverges from the sound they established on prior songs. It seems to be a survey of psych genres, with doom textures, post-rock, a bit of heavy riffage, but a lot less math. It's all well done, and flows from section to section seamlessly. But there's just a little less adventure, a little less risk, and definitely less nerd. Listening to earlier albums, one can see that they have a pretty broad range of styles, and perhaps they were unwilling to let go of certain aspects of their sound. Given that, the choice to separate the album basically into two coherent sides is a good one. It's just that for my taste, side 1 is a lot more interesting.

I would encourage all fans of instrumental psych and math rock to give this at least one full spin. Not everyone is going to be blown away but I think at least a few such fans are going to be very very pleased.

After nearly a decade of silence, British math/progressive rock band Plank (alternately stylized as Plank! on Spotify) returns with a new record. Their last release was 2014's Hivemind, an insect-themed album with some absolutely killer tracks on it. "Grasshoppers from Mars" demonstrated the band's ability to be flashy yet catchy and melodic, and "Khepri" was a beautiful example of how to execute a build-up. 

Their new release, Future of the Sea follows in a similar sonic palette. This instrumental record is built around weird, complicated riffs, where both crunchy guitar and glimmering synths get their chance to shine.

"Three Seascapes" opens the record up with a steady groove and some slightly-irregular guitar arpeggios. Lush synth pads and a piercing lead guitar add to the depth of this piece. The synth pad has a mournful tone to it, whereas the lead guitar has a more hopeful feel. "Dead Zone" fittingly has a more shambolic feel to it. A sequencer and ragged guitar riffs kick things off, and it eventually coalesces into a driving, downward riff for a moment before again slowing down. The rhythm is often plodding and off-kilter, giving it a zombielike cadence.

"Red Tide" has a main riff that's simultaneously taut and laid-back, and the layers of different keyboard tones complement each other quite nicely. I'll also take the time here to point out that Plank knows how to keep their focus. Many other instrumental acts tend to sprawl and meander, but each cut on this record feels like it's an appropriate length.

The opening to "Volta Do Mar" is gentle and dreamy. The guitar line is delicate, so when the song lurches into a moment influenced by post-metal, the sudden heaviness hits that much harder. Violins enter in the song's second half, bringing in a folky gentleness.

"Longshore Drift" has a nearly-synthwave-y tone to it, but Plank makes it work. Sequenced synths run up and down as the rhythm section plods along. With so many elements repeating over and over, the movement comes primarily from the dynamic drumming and the shifting of the chords played by the synth pad. Proceeding into its second half, though, guitar takes the spotlight, and the piece has a rather sunny, hopeful tone.

Future of the Sea closes on the six-part, 16-minute "Breaking Waves" suite. Its opening is ominous and creepy. The guitar arpeggio is haunting, and the occasional harmonic adds to the disorienting atmosphere. This introduction builds momentarily to a bruising, metallic riff, before returning to the prior understated eeriness. Following a brief, meditative passage, the band engages with some folk influences for a little while.

As this piece enters its second half, there's a tense, palm-muted guitar line. The piece remains somewhat restrained, but the occasional splash of bright clean guitar adds some lovely textural contrast. Moving on, the haunting mood of this suite's opening movement is revisited in an even more-sinister way. Entering the final part, Plank leans into some thrash metal influence here. The guitars are energetic and crunchy, and the drumming is propulsive. The guitars momentarily reduce in prominence before reemerging for a powerful conclusion.

Future of the Sea is a great record. Instrumental acts often struggle to win me over, but these guys are skilled enough songwriters to overcome that. Though not quite as strong as Hivemind, this album still has tons of great musical ideas, and I like the sonic continuity between all the cuts. The riffs are tight, inventive, and engaging; and the album as a whole is structured very well.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2023/03/13/album-review-plank-future-of-the-sea/