The Moshville Times - Album Review: Plastic

Plastic are on a mission to rejuvenate 90s grunge. Formed back in 2015 and on the back of two EPs and a handful of singles, Cheshire’s Plastic are set to release their debut Here, There Is No Gravity via Sweet Low Records on March 19th.

Speaking about the creative process the band comment:

We’re extremely excited to release a body of work that we hold very close to our chests, a lot of pain went into creating this record, but a lot of happiness too. I feel we have created a dynamic record that takes you on a journey. Thematically this record delves into my struggles with substance abuse, the highs and the lows of it and the lack of control, hence the title.

Plastic by name, but by no means by nature, there is nothing fake about the sound this five piece produce. I was immediately transported back to a field in Reading, 1995 (you know, back in the days when it was an actual rock festival), the likes of Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Foo Fighters and Reef were top of the bill and the sun was actually shining. If Carlsberg did festivals…

Here, There Is No Gravity serves up a prodigious chunk of grunge rock. Matty Awbery’s lyrics are haunting and his vocals are spectacular, incredibly powerful, he’s something pretty special. The guitars are abrasive and heavy, the bass brings in that gut-wrenching feel of impending doom, “Melt” being a classic example of this with its hair-raising outro.

There’s some sublime acoustic segments married with raucous, hard hitting rock sections that are superbly produced showing off the band’s diversity and talent in writing skills, non more so than in “Headless Rabbit” (video below) reminiscent of Nirvana, but most definitely Plastic.

“Skin is Peeling” is an absolute highlight for me, it’s an angry one. Raspy screams drowning out a more punky vibe from the rhythm section, in fact it almost sounds like Matty’s stood out in the corridor screaming whilst the rest of the band thrash the living daylights out of their instruments in the practice room.

A pace change on “My Warm Bed” sees stunning vocals stripped right back, allowing Matty to bare his soul on this haunting, provocative track. Which leads beautifully into “I’ve Been Floating” a massive escapism tune that you can lose yourself in completely. With hints of shoegaze and a more sludgy tone to the guitars, it’s a breathtaking number.

This album takes you on a journey indeed, from more poppy rock numbers such as opener “Flossing” through to darker and heavier tracks, where you experience every bit of pain portrayed, such as in disconsolate “Sweet Low”. Plastic have clearly defined themselves within the grunge scene, implicative of the 90s but with their own twist giving it mass appeal, I can’t speak highly enough of Matty’s vocals and the quality of sound production. A band with huge potential here, I’m excited for what’s coming next, and so should you be.

Full track list