iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/plastic-section/id664404668
We've been playing quite a few shows in Bangkok and have been getting some nice feedback. Renowned American journalist Joe Cummings wrote a great review of our recent set at Fatty's Bar and Diner for Bangkok 101 magazine. The published review was an abridged version, so I thought I'd post the full version of the review here:
Music
By Joe Cummings
REVIEW
Wednesday
Pool People
Plastic Section
Triggs & The Longest Day
Fatty’s Bar & Diner, Thursday, 12
September
If you’re into live bands and haven’t been
to Fatty’s yet, now is a good time to start looking at the weekly line-ups.
This is a venue that’s on the verge of becoming a dependable stalwart for local
music.
One of the only bars – very possibly the only bar -- in the Rama 9/Din
Daeng neighbourhood featuring original live music, Fatty’s sports the grungy
feel of long-departed Rain Dogs, in a smaller space but with a better sound
system and a menu of reliable food with such provocative names
as Buffalo Hot Wangs, Cream Cheese Burgers and the Wisconsin Johnson.
On a rainy Thursday night last month, four bands and their local fans
and groupies, along with Fatty’s regular diehard beer-drinking music junkies, tucked
themselves into the bar’s comfy nooks and crannies for a thumping evening of
what the posters called ‘experimental garage rock twisted pop rock n'roll’.
Arriving
around 10pm, Bangkok101 missed the opening act, called Wednesday, consisting of
experimental guitar by Put Wednesday Suksriwan. Fatty’s gregarious owner and
chef (himself an accomplished singer-songwriter in the Neil Young/Wilco vein)
Matthew Fischer described it as ‘looped guitars and a Kaoss pad I think. It’s
probably genius stuff’.
Pool People were Benji Surangkanjanajai, a Thai-German keyboardist,
singer and composer who lives in Berlin, accompanied by Nat Sanpawait Soikum on
drums. Pool People songs consisted of intricate keyboard figures accompanied by
wistful vocal melodies sung in English. More rehearsal would have yielded a
tighter sound, but a rough, naïve charm shone through nonetheless.
The highlight of the night came next. Plastic Section is led by Ben
Edwards on guitar and slapback echo-drenched vocals, with Pok Pongprayoon on
bass and harmony vocals and Put Wednesday again on drums. Those familiar with the
local indie scene may recognise Ben from the band Basement Tape, while Pok is
well known as one half of the duo Stylish Nonsense and for his production work
with Panda Records.
Unlike Basement Tape, a more sedate affair in which Ben alternates composing
duties with Tat Bunnag, Plastic Section is clearly Ben’s pet project, with the
Australian writing all of the band’s songs himself. He also played all the
instruments on the rustic Plastic Section (Panda Records) CD, but
tonight Pok’s inventive bass and blissed-out vocal support take the material to
another level. In press material, Ben describes his music as ‘an experimental,
idiosyncratic update of crazy rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and rhythm and blues’
and cites as influences Bo Diddley, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Gories,
The 5678s, Beasts of Bourbon and The Cramps, among others. What we heard was
good rockabilly bordering on great psychobilly. (Bangkok rockabilly poser bands
take note; this is how it’s supposed to sound.)
Capping off the night was Triggs and the Longest Day, who hacked at their
guitars and howled into their mics with drunken abandon. Led by Tokin Teekanun
on guitar and lead vocal, with Nopphon Cheng on bass, Sanpawit Soikum on drums
and Chawalit Saowapakpongchai on guitar and backing vocals, their performance
was haunted by a heavy hum – possibly from the guitarist’s pedal set-up -- that
wouldn’t be tamed. The effort was there, though, and Bangkok 101 would like to
catch this band again when their gear is cooperating.
Conclusion: Without reservation, we can recommend Plastic Section if you
like your rock 'n’ roll raw, raucous and clever.
Fatty’s Bar & Diner, Rama IX Rd, Tel
08 0557 1959
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