THE PASTIES
Platonica (Soapstar)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

Smart, often optimistic power pop from a New York City band who trade on a sound built on the top three strings of the guitar and a Vox organ, not to mention some of the most sublime melt-in-your-mouth vocal harmonies I've heard in a long while. When Devon Copely (vocals/guitar) brings the tempo down for "This Dance," it is surprisingly one of the great moments of the album. Why surprisingly? Because the trend today among decent rock bands is to throw a generic ballad out there to try to hook a single, but that's definitely not the case here. There's nothing generic about "This Dance." It's doesn't sound like anything you've heard before, the beat doesn't seem familiar, and the sentiment is genuine. Before long they're right back into their forte of uptempo yet cerebral rock with "The Wreck Of You And Me," a song driven upward toward its conclusion by a powerful bass line from Mike Davis. The album is filled with great bass work that is often complex, which is not surprising for the same reason that it is surprising that it's not too complex: Davis is a jazz bassist who has played with Poncho Sanchez, Airto Moreira and Doc Cheetham. All the parts are in place. The songs are worth paying attention to, which immediately loses the interest of the masses, who hate thinking about the music they listen to. I assume those of you reading this magazine care about music, so this band's for you.

© 2002 - DJ Johnson