Plini "Handmade Cities"

Greetings from The Concert Closet fellow progheads!  Now that warmth has moved from memory to  reality, I thought it a perfect opportunity to see how the other hemisphere lives.  So taking the search for all things prog to Australia, let's immerse ourselves in the guitar sounds of Plini, a 25
year-old who likes to play prog guitar, travel, and eat...what else is there, right?

Plini plays guitar the way I play the stereo; very well.  His style has been referred to as new prog, modern prog, even classic-retro prog; whatever the hell that is...Plini himself describes his sound thusly;  "music for world peace."  Perhaps on a subconscious level I have always thought of progressive music that way--for the most part at least.  Regardless; let us venture into the prog garden and get comfortable with Plini's latest release and first full length LP, "Handmade Cities..."

Moving to the head of the line, I start with "Electric Sunrise."  The acoustic opening is a pleasant, albeit short-lived entrance into an atmosphere that is explosive and chaotic.  There is a Flim & The BB's vibe as the song begins to unfold and Plini starts to hurl his all at your auditory sensors with a deliberateness reminiscent of Jaco Pastorius.  As the drums pick up the pace, Plini's guitar continues morphing...setting a frenetic pace.  Solitude encased in a camouflage of mayhem...I can see Steve Vai in a back corner of the studio, torch in hand...

Second serving from this carb heavy buffet is the title cut, "Handmade Cities."  Plini wastes no time peeling back the top layer of your skull as he swings that guitar like Paul Bunyan wielded his axe...time and tempo changes are dizzying, much like a dessert buffet where you can't decide between Baked Alaska and Flaming Cherries Jubilee--so you just mash 'em both together.  Plini manages to channel Joe Bonamassa and Al DiMeola one minute, only to hurl a John Petrucci grenade the next.  His ability to flow from one mood to the next so fluidly is marvelous; that he does it so often is mind-numbing...and he's only 25!  Ahhh, the young...

Liner Notes...Plini hails from Sydney, Australia and is basically a one-man guitar show, although on the album he is accompanied by Simon Grove on bass and Troy Wright on drums.  His touring entourage is larger still, and he has played with Marco Minnemann, Jakub Zytecki, Stephen Taranto, and Chris Letchford among others...impressive resume for an up-and-comer...

Final selection to wrap my ears around this week is "Pastures." Once again Plini chooses to crawl inside your skull and hammer the lining around your cranium.  He wastes no time clearing any cobwebs that may have survived to this point; now Troy joins the fracas with crazy good drumming skills.  Working together they simply lift you up and carry you across the prog garden.

Learn more about Plini and make a purchase at Plini.  Check for tour dates and other information at Plini/Facebook.  Of course there is always Twitter @plinirh for all things Plini too.

Your ear candy for the week is a heavy dose of "Cascade."  Fall into chaotic serenity as Plini squeezes every luscious drop from his guitar; Simon and Troy complete the ensemble and beauty flows from the headphones.  The aromatics I pick up have a Transatlantic scent and perhaps a hint of Joe Satriani moving over the top.  Plini hits the canvas with bright hues and does so at a record pace, the colors raining down in a vivid expression of absolute bliss.

                      

And another week falls off the calendar fellow progheads.  Despite the crazy weather--or perhaps because of it--the search for all things prog has served up a crop that is crazy in its own right.  A vast and varied collection from all corners of the garden fills out the 2018 playlist thus far.  And the journey continues...until next time...