Plumerai

by Michael Byrne

Plumerai have been releasing a steady amount of albums & Ep’s for a few years now and yet still I wonder how they haven’t been picked up by a major label (having been on Silber and now released through their own label, Darushka-4)

Either way once again Plumerai prove themselves worthy of recognition beyond their current dosage with Electrical Mess an EP including new tracks, remixes and some live tracks too.

Electrical Mess starts with the track of the same name, showing off both the space rock new wave guitar play of Martin Newman as well as the ever sultry and haunting singing of Elizabeth Ezell.

‘Die…Die Slowly’ brings the tempo down a notch or two, allowing that aforementioned voice to leave any who hears it swooning, while Radical9 creates a sleazy electrotrash dance mix of ‘Shapes & Trees’ that works so well with Ezell’s voice it’s tempting to suggest a complete genre makeover for the group.

Ending with two bootlegs from a performance in Patras, Greece, Electrical Mess works as a good showcase of the groups versatility and strengths but only wets the appetite for want of a new and hopefully imminent full release in 2010. - www.lefthip.com

"The true test of a songwriter or band is to have the ability to create a song that can stand on it’s own when stripped down to its barest essentials. Both Plumerai and The Brother Kite are known for dressing their songs up in effects, creating comparisons to Stereolab, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and modern day shoegaze. But on this split single, limited to 500, these 2 artists take away all excess and craft some haunting music. The A side, “Vacant Eyes”, is given over to Plumerai, led by vocalist Elizabeth Ezell. Sounding like a subdued Karen O, her words sound as though they are slowly and painfully being pulled from her. For the majority of the song she is backed by simple acoustic guitar until her melody grows stronger, swelling to a climax in violas and cymbal crashes. It’s like taking a trip down the candlelit hallway of a haunted house. Plumerai create a tension between uncertainty and yearning and do it quite well. If Mark Kozelek decided to do a Simon & Garfunkel cover it would come off sounding like The Brother Kite’s contribution “We Can Never Be Friends.” This is meant to be a compliment. There’s surely a sense of longing and desperation on this brief 2 guitar & vocals song with its down strummed acoustic and scant assistance of some carefully chosen accompaniment. The vocal melody starts to soar but quickly chooses to land instead, denying the feeling of wistfulness you expect. It’s a beauty of a song; simple, short, and inviting. If a power surge were to ever strike New England Plumerai & The Brother Kite would do just fine. By stepping away from the effects and fuzz pedals both bands are more than capable of creating somber and touching music “unplugged.“ - Adequacy.net" - www.adequacy.net

Credit James Newman and his antsy bass for grafting a cab-forward groove to his usual new-shoegaze synths, and for making Boston-based Plumerai sound like Stereolab giving free reign to their darkest urges. Don't credit the vibraphone though, which gives the song a disagreeably jazzy feel even though it doesn't disrupt the flow. Do credit Elizabeth Ezell for killing herself softly with this song. Her voice breaks gently on each syllable, creating a strange and soulful vibrato that communicates her anguish easily and gracefully, not unlike Karen O ripping her heart out, ballad-style. Most of all, credit Plumerai for crafting a song that draws from popular influences, without coasting on them. - Pitchfork Media