Plywood
The Ways of the Past
Reel Noise

The band formerly known as Anders::Plywood, is now simply Plywood. But if the name's changed they are still roaming (and roaring) the terrains of hard rock.

Since last time around (the EP) they've also gotten a new member (drummer) inside their circle of three. Trym Hagen (guitars, vocals), Espen Lie (bass, vocals), and newcomer Roger Bjørnstad (drums) are Plywood, and they sure have spent some time in their rehearsal quarters. They sound indeed tight and rock like a real, classic threesome should be doing. Their melodic hard rock sound is efficient and proves the power-trio to be a timeless unit. As we didn't know. Their 12 songs (ca 50 minutes, including a hidden track 13) are, well, both ups and downs. The radio-friendly "Sunride" is a catchy, toned-down rocker, with an intense, up-front chorus. I find the next song, "So Much Hate", more interesting, with its more cool'n'wild and varied melody and rhythm. To be honest I should've wished for some more experimental stuff, some wild rides off the "straight" emo-hard-rock path. Such as in "The Hub", which proves the Pixies reference somehow right. That said there are some songs I really like, despite not being the core of their audience. The slow-floating-turns-stomping "So Long" is tough and cool, and the majestic "W.M.P.S." is maybe the better of them all, cello and all included.

I guess Plywood kick and sweat live. They've succeeded in getting a 'live' sound, helped out by engineer/producer Thomas Fredriksen of El Caco (Plywood even do a swirling version of El Caco's angst-ridden "Habits" - which is quite a stoner moment).

Copyright © 2005 Håvard Oppøyen