Polyethylene
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Polyethylene

Boston, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE

Boston, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE
Band Rock Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"The Plugg CD Review, Apr 2007"

"all that is good in modern rock music, while still keeping a fresh outlook on things"

Complete Text:

Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. That’s your run-of the mill rock song playing on your iPod as we speak. It’s a great formula, and you don’t need me to say it, it’s been working for many years now. But I have a feeling you’re here to experience something a little more challenging…Fair enough, have you heard of Polyethylene?

Let’s preface by talking about “post rock”. According to Wikipedia it’s “a music genre characterized by non-traditional use of rock instruments and high musical density”. That means that while listening to a post rock song you may be in for a few surprises.

And this is where Boston trio Polyethylene really shines. The promise of having a song take a completely unexpected turn is what usually gets me listening in the first place. From the album opener “Thorman Wood Warmed Nights” you know you’re in for a great ride. What at first seems like atmospheric female fronted rock, turns into a blistering march of edgy guitars, erratic drums and amazing flutes and violins.

Once you’ve established things are not as they seem, what sounded like a Rainer Maria album, starts relentlessly attacking your senses. Art rock epics like “Given” and the beautifully strange “Mana Mout Ta Kleftopoula” really obliterate what was left of your expectations. Straight up rockers like the Rilo Kiley-esque “The Weather and Driving” prove that you can challenge the listener without having to go over 3 minutes.

The band lists their fair share of influences and wears them proudly. The “Built to Spill” short instrumentals combine well with the longer Mogwai epics. With great drums and riffs at times Smashing Pumpkins also get a nod, while the folky vocals recall the olden days. And did I mention Rainer Maria? In fact, although “What Goes on Inside Houses” only contains 9 tracks, it manages to encompass all that is good in modern rock music, while still keeping a fresh outlook on things. - www.theplugg.com


"Performer Spotlight, Dec 2006"

"musically stimulating – a combination of masterful drum work, poignant vocals and completx guitar movements…tight and inventive…Polyethylene’s musical flexibility echoes the group’s fluid artistry." - by Miriam Lamey - NE Performer


"The Noise, 2005"

“ethereal . . . the female singer has a gorgeous voice.” - by Steve Gisselbrecht, January 9, 2005


"Performer CD Review, Aug 2007"

Accessible and yet delightfully unpredictable, Boston-based trio Polyethylene take their brand of indie-pop into the post-rock realm with their latest offering, What Goes On Inside Houses. With unexpected rhythmic twists and turns, the band maintains an ear for satisfying melodies and atmospheric vocals, thus establishing a tonal structure in the structureless world of erratic guitar riffs and ambient instrumentals. The result is a mind-bending journey.


Featuring moody strings layered over steadily marching drums, opener “Thurman Wood Warmed Nights” delivers much more than your basic female-fronted indie-rock. Furthermore, the adventurous “Given” exhibits the dynamic qualities of post-rock at its best: a coherent conflation of melodic and rhythmic fluctuations seamlessly flowing together measure by measure. The catchy, albeit melancholic hooks of “Monte” and “Relatively Minor” anchor the album, while their respective instrumentals lilt like those of Explosions In The Sky.

Finally, the more unusual, atmospheric songs, such as the ominous “Mana Mou Ta Kleftopoula,” succeed in balancing out the album, complete with heavy, pulsing guitars reminiscent of Mogwai, and accentuated by Greek lyrics. The title literally translates to “Mother of mine, the guerrilla soldiers.” The verses originate from a traditional Greek song often sung on Greek Independence day and are an excellent example of Polyethylene’s ability to construct cohesive songs out of opposing forces.


Don’t expect formulas, because you won’t find any on What Goes On Inside Houses. You will, however, experience the best of Polyethylene’s innovative and disarming indie-pop as it meanders into unexpected places with its rhythmic variations. Appealing and well crafted, this one will keep you on your toes. (Optimistic Records)
- Performer Magazine


"The Noise CD Review, July 2007"

"in a word, original, and as such, is well worth your time"

Complete Text:

POLYETHYLENE
Optimistic Records
9-song CD
What Goes On Inside Housse
When a band names influences that you’ve never heard, that can be either a good or a bad sign, and in this case, it’s great. Sure, I could throw down a few, but they’d probably be wrong. Polyethylene is a wife/husband pair (Elena Proakis Ellis gets my billing over hubby Neal Ellis simply because her vocals stamp this disc so firmly into my mind’s ear), aided by a drummer and, fetchingly, some folks who occasionally play flute, violin, cello and trombone. If you get the idea that there are some atmospherics going on here, you’re right—this disc works best on a drizzly, unseasonably cold day in June—but there are some other songs that drive right along on a guitar-shaped chassis. Things never get too emo, but they do get plenty melancholy at times, and even a little goth, but only in that sort of “wearing Victorian clothing and playing cello by moonlight” kind of way. This is, in a word, original, and as such, is well worth your time. (Tim Emswiler) - The Noise


"BostonNOW, June 2007"

"pure sonic pleasure"

Complete Text:

Polyethylene - Neal Ellis on guitar, bass and vocals, Elena Proakis on bass, guitar and vocals, and Richard Reed on drums -have been part of the Cambridge/Somerville music scene for a few years and have built a good size - and loyal - following. As they say on their website, "It may not be Music for the Masses, but in any given set, there's bound to be something for everyone."

When it came time to capturing their sound on CD, however, Ellis admits it wasn't easy.

"It's weird how the sound for the songs came about. It basically amounted to me spending a lot of time in the studio," Ellis said. "I wanted to capture the sound in my head, but always remember that what we made in the studio had to be played live, too."

The result, What Goes on Inside Houses, is pure sonic pleasure, a mix of flutes and violins with crashing guitars, held together by smart song writing and Proakis' stylish vocals. And, as you can find out tonight, it sounds great live.

Published on Wed, Aug 15, 2007
-John Black
jblack@bostonnow.com - BostonNOW


"Boston Globe, June 2007"

ROCK Playing with plastic

Polyethylene is a simple plastic that's used to make everything from toys to containers. It's also the name of a band from Charlestown inspired by indie-rock acts like Death Cab for Cutie. Tonight at the Abbey Lounge, you can hear Polyethylene the band play moody rock songs from its new album "What Goes on Inside Houses." Some songs may even remind you of the Breeders. The 9 p.m. CD release party includes opening acts Radio America, Low Water, and One Happy Island.
- Boston Globe, Sidekick Weekend Picks


Discography

Polyethylene, 5 Song EP 2003
Paper or Plastic, 10 Song LP 2005
What Goes On Inside Houses, 9 Song LP 2007

What Goes On Inside Houses and Paper or Plastic have been spun on over 100 radio stations nationwide, ranking in the CMJ Top 20 on many of these stations. What Goes On Inside Houses was the #1 played album on Boston's local radio shows in July/August 2007 (The Noise, Boston), and was on the WZBC Top 15 in both June and July 2007.

Photos

Bio

Together since 2002, Polyethylene is proud to be part of the Boston indie rock scene. The band's influences range from the Pixies to Mogwai to Radiohead to Death Cab for Cutie. The Plugg recently described Polyethylene's second full length release, What Goes On Inside Houses, as "all that is good in modern rock music, while still keeping a fresh outlook on things."

Performer Magazine calls Polyethylene "musically stimulating – a combination of masterful drum work, poignant vocals and complex guitar movements…tight and inventive…Polyethylene’s musical flexibility echoes the group’s fluid artistry.”

Currently one of Boston's hottest indie acts, Polyethylene was in the Top 10 local bands played on Boston radio stations for eight months running in 2007-2008.

You can watch our music video for The Weather and Driving at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdKbsvx7i68

...and visit our myspace at www.myspace.com/polyethyleneband to hear more songs.