· PLANKTON - Rare Tracks (GYR022) ·
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::T R A C K S::
01. remember me?
FORMAT: Audio CD / Sleeve
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"Rare Tracks", the fourth studio disc by PLANKTON (a phenomenal dual instrumental heavy guitar band from Sweden) features 11 rare unreleased tracks and outtakes of "twin guitar bliss" recorded during the past seven years since the band's inception. All of the "rare tracks" on offer showcase amazingly killer bluesy, Hendrix-inspired, retro-70s heavy guitar grooves that cut deep and hard. This is not your typical collection of "outtakes" that are left "unreleased" for a good reason, "Rare Tracks" disc is an outstanding, legitimate musical document of mind-blowing classic heavy guitar riffage from this brilliant beyond belief band that stands the test of time.
PLANKTON features two phenomenal guitarists named EMIL FREDHOLM and CHRISTIAN NEPPENSTROM, both unbelievably talented stratmasters in their own right. Each guitarist displays killer chops (complete with tons of soul and feel), fabulous technique, gorgeous melodies, lush tones and deep harmonic sophistication delivered through the classic strat / marshall line-up complete with a miriad of authentic, vintage stomp boxes used to great effect. Both guitarists are incredible world-class players who have found their own original voices on their instruments and have achieved true heavy guitar greatness. FREDHOLM & NEPPENSTROM deserve to be on the cover of every guitar magazine known to man. PLANKTON also features an absolutely killer powerhouse rhythm section in the form of TOMAS THORBERG on bass, SEBASTIAN SIPPOLA on drums and LARS NORMALM on percussion. Brother Lars adds a whole new dimension to PLANKTON with his groovy percussion work. These three talented cats who play an integral part of the PLANKTON sound, lay down incredible, thick, solid grooves upon which the dynamic gifted guitar duo glide effortlessly with their amazing complex solos and lyrical & passionate guitar artistry. There is an astounding, dynamic musical interplay between all 5 PLANKTON brothers with a strong emphasis on memorable / standout compositions, which is a rarity amongst most instrumental guitar music. On display here is the PLANKTON fabled musical chemistry @ its finest.
Besides all of the incredible PLANKTON music on offer, as an added bonus the "Rare Tracks" disc features an incredible seven minute cover version of "F.U.B.B." by WISHBONE ASH where PLANKTON take the classic ASH riffage to "Electric Plankton-land" and beyond. (Plankton's awesome version of "F.U.B.B." also landed on a recent WISHBONE ASH tribute disc and was HIGHLY received by the band and their fans alike). "Rare Tracks" also includes the hard-assed phat funky riffage of a way-kool original PLANKTON track called "Pimp Cocktail" which is an outtake from the sessions for the band's CLASSIC debut disc and features killer rippin' lead guitar from bassist THOMAS THORBERG (who besides laying down the outstanding low-end bottom kool for PLANKTON, can rip it hard on the guitar!). And last but not least, the PLANKTON: "Rare Tracks" disc features "special guest" axemaster supreme and fellow G.Y. musical brother, CHRIS POLAND (MEGADETH / DAMN THE MACHINE / OHM) who contributes an other-wordly vintage C.P. lead solo on the aptly titled way-kool Grooveyard Jam that will fry your brain. Only @ the Grooveyard will you find CHRIS POLAND jamming with a band like PLANKTON on a track called the "Grooveyard Jam". This is what REAL guitar music is ALL about and if you are fan of truly outstanding heavy guitar music, you owe it to yourself to tune into the amazing PLANKTON: "Rare Tracks" disc. Exclusively available on GROOVEYARD RECORDS, an indie label dedicated to outstanding "TOTAL GUITAR" music.
The PLANKTON: "Rare Tracks" disc is HIGHLY recommended to fans of HENDRIX (long live the musical spirit of JIMI), ROBIN TROWER, FRANK MARINO, ULI JON ROTH, MICHAEL SCHENKER, LESLIE WEST & MOUNTAIN, CREAM, TOMMY BOLIN, JEFF BECK, ERIC JOHNSON, STEVE MORSE, GREG KOCH, MICHAEL LANDAU, CHRIS POLAND, WARREN HAYNES & GOV'T MULE, ALLMAN BROS, WISHBONE ASH, and all of the "old-school" classic guitar greats. Fans of their three amazing previous discs (PLANKTON, HUMBLE COLOSSUS & 3) will heavily dig and find a good home in their music collections for the mega-awesome, diverse, CLASSIC bluesy heavy guitar grooves that landed on the "Rare Tracks" disc.
The music of PLANKTON ranges from hard-assed funked-out Hendrix wah-wah land to the deepest vintage Trower to Uli's astral skies to elegantly trippy tones that are guaranteed to blow your heavy guitar mind. A deep instrumental musical brew of muscular Allman Brothers meets Gov't Mule jamming with Hendrix back @ the house with an electric ladyland/astral skies cycodelic cosmic retro-70s heavy guitar vibe. An out of this world inner galactic earth blues fusion experience from the outskirts of infinity.
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01. remember me? |
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· reviews ·
This tandem release to "3" hits the ground running and keeps the train rolling and minds blowing. Continuing the rich legacy of peerless, world-class instrumental guitar music from that incomparable Swedish groove machine, PLANKTON, "RARE TRACKS" picks up where "3" left off and continues to push their musical vision ever onward and upward through the astral skies. I've always been leery of titles like this - the reason that some tracks are "rare" is that they were simply sub-par throw-aways that didn't make the cut on previous releases. These are "RARE TRACKS" in the truest sense of the words - it's not often that a group of musicians come along with a body of work that is as sonically devastating and consistantly inventive as PLANKTON - and that's rare. There's absolutely NO filler here - it's ALL killer. As opposed to most all of their contemporaries - talented as they may be - who incorporate their influences into a somewhat derivative yet convincing "knockoff" that - if you listen closely - lack true individuality, identity and purpose, PLANKTON succeeds in transcending their influences COMPLETELY, creating something totally new and paradigm-shifting, yet all the while feeling as natural as your favorite pair of jeans. There is a word to describe this - it is "transcendent." That's no exaggeration - and it raises them from being merely "incredible" to the level of "legendary." Finally - a band that is not derivative of anything but themselves. Listeners will find themselves hitting the repeat button to better absorb the nuances of these slices of musical art - it's one of those rare (to use that word again) releases that reveal more and more depth and detail upon repeated listenings. When was the last time THAT happened? Rare, indeed. "Crow Jazz" is just one marvelous example of song structure that combines a seemingly traditional approach with radical juxtapositions of guitar tones and feels within the same piece. Like musical chameleons, these guys can change their sonic colorations at will, creating something completely different within a framework that essentially remains unchanged. An absolutely stellar creation...and that's just ONE of the cuts on this amazing collection of compositions. Superlatives do apply here - stunning, "turn on a dime" arrangements...subtle and delicate hypnotic palettes of musical joy...swirling, psychedelic, echo-drenched feedback...elegant, hyper-clean chordal figures featuring mature and sophisticated modalities...haunting melodies that literally send chills up your spine...chaotic whammy bar excursions...bone-crushing grooves and screaming riffage...an unrivalled sense of dynamic control and melodic interplay...a jaw-dropping display of chops...the most tasteful use of effects EVER...the list goes on and on. Suffice it to say that PLANKTON has it all - in spades. Rare, indeed. Jimi's smiling down on these guys - somebody finally got it right. With a presentative format that is familiar yet totally original and innovative to the highest degree, PLANKTON is a cut above ANY and ALL comers. They are in a league of their own, as well they should be...they've set a marvelous and intimidating precedent in modern guitar music for everything else that's yet to come in the wake of their brilliance. Rare? Indeed.
Jimmy Ryan (TRUTHSQUAD) (4.06)
A mighty "juggernaut" is an unstoppable force, a power to be reckoned with. Plankton again proves themselves to be a musical juggernaut, bringing us their overwhelming might in a particularly delicious way -- with harmonious sensibility and emotional intensity. These guys can play! Plankton "Rare Tracks" picks up where the prior three CDs leave off -- in your face!
Steven Rosen (Author) (2006)
We reviewed Plankton's self-titled disc back in Issue 62 with rave praise. The five-piece instrumental band from Stockholm, Sweden have been together for ten years progressing from an art form jazz/rock assemble to a more electrifying outfit that takes on the best of Jeff Beck, Zeppelin and Cream with elements of Mountain and Deep Purple. Here we have their Rare Tracks disc that pulls from their archives to bring us some rather outstanding and eclectic compositions. One can't help but hear Uli Roth's Beyond the Astral Skies or Transcendental Sky Guitar as both Emil Fredholm and Christian Neppenstrom have a similar appreciation for jazz-infused rock jams. Their sound can be wondering yet poignant as in "Remember Me?" the atmospheric "Crow Jazz" and their label ode "Grooveyard Jam." Bassist Tomas Thorberg and drummer Sebastian Sippola hold their own in the mix rising to the surface on the thundering "Baboon" and funky "Pimp Cocktail." Midway through the record we arrive at the seven-minute plus Wishbone Ash cover F.U.B.B. that locks in on a mesmerizing bass riff. Percussionist Lars Normalm stretches out on the congas with Sippola's drums holding the groove as a blizzard of guitars push and pull the rhythm ending in a lead duel that picks up pieces of from Thin Lizzy to the old school Scorpions. Helping to sculpt to songs is the band's ability to merge styles and genres. They pay just as much respect to the Allman Brothers and Skynyrd as they do Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. Check out "Dinsdale" and "The Man with no Name" for an interesting combination of country and jazz working uniquely well. Two original songs, "Farklanning" and "Kakbrinken" 11a make this an essential release for fans of fusion rock. The first, "Farklanning" dabble with classic Deep Purple song phrasing while sticking to the groove only drifting to add color along the edges while "Kakbrinken" takes a quite, moody run at stretched strings and whimsical passages.
Todd K. Smith (The Cutting Edge)
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