JP05

People On Planes Singing Airport Songs is the full length debut from the Brooklyn-based JP05. The album itself (as well as the band) is a both a truly and deceptively solo effort from songwriter Jeff Patlingrao, who recorded, mixed, and played all the instruments on the album. The result is about 40 minutes of richly textured, sonically diverse, and somewhat understated rock anthems that lyrically seem to center around a theme of leaving and arriving. "It's about drastic transition, losing friends, and keeping love. Or attempting to." says Jeff Patlingrao.

From the opening distorted drum beat of "almost no one", the intimate tragedy of "searching the coast" and "everything you'll see"; to the full-on jump/skip rhythm of "happyendingman" (including a most excellent whammy bar bridge part) and the dynamically polar epic of "her face", JP05 immediately displays its vast range of sonic tools, both technical and emotional. This only continues to build in the second half of the album with the intense "sad song" and winsome oddity of "halo slingshot"; not to mention the determined march of "faded blind + paper thin" and explosive requiem for elliott smith:"from then on", finally leaving us with the rare sound of Los Angeles rain behind the hopeful "not so far". The album only disappoints when it's over, leaving the listener wanting more.

"Loud. Quiet. Steady. Fierce." is the ever constant group of words that the band uses to describe itself. In comparative terms, you might think Elliott Smith meets Sonic Youth meets "Execution..." era Rilo Kiley. There have also been mentions of someone named Hendrix linked to describing JP05's comet-blasting live show. - AVE-R Recordings

JP05 is a solo act out of Brooklyn, New York. Jeff Patlingrao, a talented musician with the ability to play multiple instruments, is the central figure of JP05. He is currently on tour though in which he is accompanied by band with Carl Henry Davis serving as the bassist, and Shawn Fogel keeping time on the drums. Jeff plays all of the instruments on the recordings though and self-released his first full length album PEOPLE ON PLANES SINGING AIRPORT SONGS, through AVE-R Recordings on December 2, 2005. This comes three years after his self released EP.

For the most part, JP05 has produced musical tracks that are sound lyrically, instrumentally, and vocally. With strong solos and great rhythm most all the tracks are a fun listen. Some of the vocals seem as if he is trying to sustain the note for too long and that the pitch Jeff wants to reach is too high for his ambitions. It may just be recording quality, but on occasions these long notes can take away from the enjoyment one might find in the cleverly written songs.

If you want to be entertained by an extremely talented musician that creates his own brand of melodic alternative rock, listen to Jeff Patlingrao’s JP05. The more you listen the better it gets.

P.S. Play it loud for an enjoyable experience.

- Tom Williamson - Northeast In-Tune