Plan B: Keepsake (CD on GGOO22)

Band: Plan B
Label: GGOO22
Title: Keepsake

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Band:Plan B
Title:Keepsake
Reviewed By:John Clarkson
Date Published:26/03/2004

Label:GGOO22
Format:CD
Release Year:Label
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Plan B is the moniker of Seattle-based experimental musician, James van Leuven. Van Leuven describes his band on his website as an "electronic indie act", and as "forging a beat driven music using elements of indie rock, jazz, hip hop and electronic."

All of this sounds well and good on paper, but Plan B's new mini-album 'Keepsake', which features the multi-faceted Van Leuven on drums, guitar, accordion and melodica, and a rotational assortment or "crew" of other musicians, unfortunately, however, proves to be less than a sum of all its parts.

The dreamy opening track, 'Latchkey Kid', hazily merges popping bubbles of melodica and accordion with a snatched sound sample from the John Cassavetes-directed gangster film, 'Gloria'." I don't think I should do this" intones child actor Juan Adames. "I don't mind a lot of things, but this is a little gruesome." The dialogue of the second number, 'Why Is It ?' sounds like it is Adames again, but in fact is whispering waif-like guest vocalist, Krista Warden, who against sludgy squiggles of distorted cello and metronome drum beats asks why no one will talk to her.

While undoubtedly it was the last thing that van Leuven intended, in an age in which child abuse is an increasingly acknowledged horror, all of this comes across, far from being bittersweet or ironic, as simply tasteless and unpleasant.

The rest of the album, while less controversial, is generally bland. The middle track, the breezy 'Systemetis', mixes together long surging cuts of stand-up bass with some nifty, jazzy trumpet playing, but locks into a groove very quickly, which it fails to lift itself out of. The dark-sounding fourth 'Untitled' track lasts barely a minute and suffers a similar fate, while the fifth and final track 'In Search of...' features a fine,gently waltzing violin solo, but is ruined by some nails-on-blackboard style mouth percussion from van Leuven.

Plan B is by no means without potential or flair. Van Leuven has a sharp ear for melody and know how to write a catchy tune. He has also ideas in abundance, but these need to be fleshed out more. 'Keepsake' is far from terrible, but with a little more thought, focus and foresight,it could, however, have been much more.

Track Listing:

01) Latchkey Kid
02) Why Is It?
03) Systemitis
04) Untitled
05) In Search Of ...

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Flawed experimental indie pop from Plan B, the moniker of Seattle-based experimental musician, James van Leuven, which " proves to be less than a sum of all its parts"

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Keepsake - CD
Flawed experimental indie pop from Plan B, the moniker of Seattle-based experimental musician, James van Leuven, which " proves to be less than a sum of all its parts"

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