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res cogitans
CD-R EP 2006 | Silber 055 4 tracks, 22 minutes $8 ($14 international, $2 download (256 kbps, ~40 megs)) : Listen to the track Illuminata : More info |
Plumerai’s latest release
may only be a small four-track EP but to the band itself it marks big changes.
Two years after their first release, Plumerai are much more defined and
sturdy, having solidified their line up to four members and, perhaps most
importantly, gained more artistic control over their production. All of
which has given Plumerai an altogether more dynamic sound which is clearly
evidential on Res Cognitans.
“Avernal” opens the EP and
is a delightfully dreamy creation, the drums gentile and inoffensive (until
the last two minutes that is) mixed with soothing guitars, all complimenting
the arousing, sultry voice of Elizabeth Ezell.
While Plumerai have developed
their own sound their influences are clearly defined, whether it’s the
music compositions that share similarity in sound to new wave acts like
The Smiths, to Ezell’s voice that is already being compared to PJ Harvey’s.
“Linear” is a fine example of their influences hitting the mark perfectly,
the catchy guitar work that is both pop and anti-pop simultaneously due
to its melancholy feeling yet danceable beats. Mixed with the soft vocals
of Ezell, “Linear” is a track that The Cure would certainly be proud of.
There is definitely a cabaret
quality to Ezell’s vocals and throughout it suits the mood of the music
perfectly as with “En Vole” a piece where even the accordion gets a little
more prominence than before. It’s unsurprising however that the cabaret
element is there as Res Cognitans was recorded live, copying to CD the
true untouched elements of the band which makes for a much more interesting
and powerful release than just another studio outing.
With retro electro rock
(et al) being the big fad that it is at the moment, Plumerai will certainly
have to put the hours in to ensure they don’t fall victim of its ephemeral
and superficial charms. Yet if the four tracks on Res Cognitan are anything
to go by, they are miles ahead of the majority in both sound and concept
already
~ Michael Byrne, Left Hip
For those who haven't heard
of Plumerai before, you're in for a wonderful sampling of 80's alternative-influenced
musical titillation. Elizabeth Ezell's shaking vocals are the first
& immediate attraction. Seductive, tortured, & wanting, it's
a voice you can almost touch as well as hear. The music is very thick
with the double-timed echo guitar familiar in most early 1980's alternative
rock. The music is reminescent of what you would expect from a Radiohead/Cranes
collaboration. Instantly appealing, this EP starts out amazing &
gets better with each subsequent listen. A must-have for our listeners.
~ Poseidon, Gothic Beauty
According to their press
release, the name Plumerai "comes from a French lullaby about depluming
a bird". Interesting name for an interesting band, that despite the lack
of feathers, they demonstrate they can still take flight. Although Res
Cogitans is only 4 tracks long, each song is longer than the average with,
"Avernal" lasting about 7 minutes. After two years of instability, the
four-member band has solidified their sound and declared this 2007 EP to
be their true debut album.
Fronted by a female vocalist,
Elizabeth Ezell delivers her raw feminine tones, resembling at times like
a sexed up Bjork, ending her lines in subtle quirky vibrato. The keyboards,
guitar, bass and drums converge in good chemistry, emitting their influential
roots-80's punk and alternative-to create dark, mysterious, enchanting
modern rock. Their raw energy is captured in their production process by
focusing on greater live recording with minor overdubs. And this steer
away for that studio perfect sound is rather quite perfect for them.
My ears welcome the long
musical breaks with my favourite found in the last few minutes of "Avernal"
where instrumental noise entwine to blood pumping climax, sounding appropriate
for a Pulp Fiction soundtrack.
~ cAthy Lee, The Spill Magazine
Plumerai is a Boston-based
post-pop band that specializes in "shoe-gazing guitars, tight drumming...
everything you could want from pop-oriented music," according to their
press release. A scant four songs comprise Res Cogitans, the band's latest
release. The album begins with "Avernal," which sounds as if it were 80s
dream pop laden with French house vocals and drums. "Linear" and "Illuminata"
are more upbeat rock songs that seem to update the shoegaze to which this
band obviously looks for guidance. "En Vole," the clincher, is a poppy,
yet dark number. Both violin and piano work to give it an almost cinematic
feel. Res Cogitans is an enjoyable mix of energetic guitars, lethargic
vocals, and relaxing instrumental passages - a mix which makes the band
seem like a group searching (successfully) for their artistic and acoustic
niche.
~ RC, Melisma Magazine
Combining the sounds of many
popular groups like Evanescence and The Cure, yet adding a harder tone
with vibrating female vocals, Plumerai emerges with driven and appealing
music that gets better with every listen.
Plumerai’s four-track EP
shows incredible force and diversity. Interchanging between the influences
of trip hop, rock, and some post punk, the quartet’s music is difficult
to categorize. They’ve been characterized as a pop band, but such a match
is difficult to make because Plumerai deserves credit for their unmistakable
sophistication and substance.
“Avernal,” the EP’s first
track, kicks off with the concentrated guitar and drum contributions of
Martin Newman, Todd Richards, and James Newman. Effectively portraying
their ability to play within the conventional music styles, Plumerai inserts
a subtle and driven back-melody behind the main melody. The enrapturing
vocals of lead singer Elizabeth Ezell are unmistakable. Pinning listeners
to her ethereal vocal styles in the track, Ezell conveys both warmth and
a haunting sentiment, two beautiful emotions that reside with listeners
throughout the Res Cognitans EP.
Starting with quick reverberations
of notes on the guitar, “Linear” grabs listeners from the first measure.
As soon as the echoing guitar effect settles in, an uptempo snare enters
the track during the guitar’s offbeat. The EP’s most cheerful track, “Linear”
absorbs the listener as Ezell’s slower paced lyrics match up against the
quick background music of the composition. The lyrical pace in the song’s
chorus quickens to match the swinging pace of the musical background, and
Plumerai reveal their catchy pop tendencies with the infectious “Linear.”
Plumerai covers a vast expanse
of the music world in Res Cognitans. This stirring 21-minute EP has proven
that the Boston-based quartet is more than ready to proceed to the next
step in the music business. January of 2007 marks the release of Plumerai’s
forthcoming debut full-length album, and with it are great expectations
from the band and listeners alike.
~ Lauren Proctor, Performer
Mag
Taken from the theories of
17th century Swiss philosopher Rene Descartes, Res Cogitans translates
roughly as "occurrence thorough consideration," an offshoot of the much
more famous Descartes deduction: "I think, therefore I am." Zap forward
four centuries to Boston, and occurrence finds its direction from Plumerai’s
consideration. The four-piece’s latest EP is almost as thought-provoking
as Swiss philosophy (but rest assured, much more thrilling) and defies
labeling. That said, let’s give it shot: Res Cogitans is complicatedly
ethereal, moving forward with a delicate grace that could only be supplied
by Elizabeth Ezell’s equally flowing voice. While Plumerai only gives us
a 4-song taste of what is to come, each song flows forward for about 5
minutes, moving from small beats to explosive climaxes, patiently transitioning
the listener from emotion to emotion. "En Vole" ("Be Willing to Behold")
drips with maturity and elegance, and with added spices of foreign influences,
it’s hard to believe that such a sound came out of Boston. Anything but,
"Linear" combines a bouncy beat with almost shoegaze touches, moving into
"Illuminate," a mysterious orchestral ride that just goes to show anything
can be expected from Plumerai. If they continue to put this much consideration
and thought into their music, their new album should make quite a splash
indeed.
~ Michael Schmitt, Music
Emissions
Following on the heels of
their self-titled full-length and encompassing a number of lineup changes,
res cogitans, the new 4-song EP from Boston's Plumerai, showcases more
of the shoegazing ethereal rock that's made a name for them on both the
local and national scenes. Sounding something like the genetic culmination
of Hope Sandoval, Polly Jean Harvey, and Melora Creager, frontwoman Elizabeth
Ezell's lush, sensual warble leads the way through four tracks of moody,
catchy, diverse post-punk-influenced alt rock.
The opening "Avernal" is
easily the disc's best, its moody rock delivery and catchy chorus hook
certainly delivering, while the following "Linear" is nearly on-par, a
poppier and almost equally infectious affair that almost recalls The Sugarcubes.
Unfortunately, "Illuminata", sounding uncannily like the band's attempt
to rewrite the James Bond theme, is fair but less satisfying. The sultry
rock of the closing "En Vole", however, recovers relatively well with its
Latin undertones and Italian accordion accents.
With a new album apparently
slated for 2007, expect to hear a lot more from Plumerai in the next year.
Until then, the res cogitans EP is a mixed but, overall, satisfying slice
of shoegazer-infused alt rock/pop.
~ Joshua Heinrich, Grave
Concerns
Plumerai is a bit of a different
kind of band for Silber, in that it's a pop band. Okay, it's a pop band
that's more influenced by Portishead, The Sundays, Lush, and other bands
from that early-90s Britpop era. Not that they're Britpop, but they've
definitely got that sexy, moody sound thing down. Res Cogitans is a four-song
EP, but those four songs are so substantial and meaty, you're left both
wanting more and feeling quite satisfied. I really, really dig the sexy
singing style of Elizabeth Ezell. All four songs are interesting, and all
of them are new favorites, but I really dig the seven-minute "Avernal"
and the shimmery, should-be-a-hit "Illuminata." Great music, and hopefully
the promises delivered here will be followed through next year with their
forthcoming LP.
~ Joseph Kyle, Mundane Sounds
Plumerai’s latest release
may only be a small four-track EP but to the band itself it marks big changes.
Two years after their first release, Plumerai are much more defined and
sturdy, having solidified their line up to four members and, perhaps most
importantly, gained more artistic control over their production. All of
which has given Plumerai an altogether more dynamic sound which is clearly
evidential on Res Cognitans.
“Avernal” opens the EP and
is a delightfully dreamy creation, the drums gentile and inoffensive (until
the last two minutes that is) mixed with soothing guitars, all complimenting
the arousing, sultry voice of Elizabeth Ezell.
While Plumerai have developed
their own sound their influences are clearly defined, whether it’s the
music compositions that share similarity in sound to new wave acts like
The Smiths, to Ezell’s voice that is already being compared to PJ Harvey’s.
“Linear” is a fine example of their influences hitting the mark perfectly,
the catchy guitar work that is both pop and anti-pop simultaneously due
to its melancholy feeling yet danceable beats. Mixed with the soft vocals
of Ezell, “Linear” is a track that The Cure would certainly be proud of.
There is definitely a cabaret
quality to Ezell’s vocals and throughout it suits the mood of the music
perfectly as with “En Vole” a piece where even the accordion gets a little
more prominence than before. It’s unsurprising however that the cabaret
element is there as Res Cognitans was recorded live, copying to CD the
true untouched elements of the band which makes for a much more interesting
and powerful release than just another studio outing.
With retro electro rock
(et al) being the big fad that it is at the moment, Plumerai will certainly
have to put the hours in to ensure they don’t fall victim of its ephemeral
and superficial charms. Yet if the four tracks on Res Cognitan are anything
to go by, they are miles ahead of the majority in both sound and concept
already.
(Plumerai release a full
length album in 2007)
~ Michael Riley, Left Hip
Boston four-piece plays like
a quintet with guitarist Martin Newman doubling up on keys as well. Elizabeth
Ezell delivers excellent un-easy vox. She’s got that nano-sheep ba-a-a-a-a
stutter that gets squeezed into tight spaces and syllables. It kind
of denotes anger and sorrow at the same time…the music behind her definitely
drops back a couple of decades and a handful of hairdos. Hello phlanger,
hello Joe Jackson, hello tie with the black-and-white keys on it. Nah,
that’s too harsh…but the drums ARE tidy and timely, no mad dash eruptions.
The guitar IS jingle-plinky and yes soaked in phlange. The synth sweeps
ARE on vox presettica. Pseudo xylophone lights up “Illuminata.” A kind
of ska gallop with arpeggio spurs winds up “Avernal.” UnEz E’s vocals are
really the highlight, looming large with these tiny torments of lovelorn
pop. Will the follow-up full-length to this song EP be called “res extensa”
and feature an expanded use of more instrumentation and flavors? Or maybe
dump the thinking altogether for a more passionate play towards raw emotional
scorch and feedback.
~ Thurston Hunger, KFJC
I recently came to the realization
that my musical tastes have remained virtually unchanged since high school.
While I'm sure that many of my former classmates have dumped innumerable
tapes and CDs at the local CD Warehouse, I still reach for those worn copies
of Wish, Disintegration, and Violator with some regularity. And not just
due to a sense of nostalgia, though there is some of that, nor because
I'm ridden with angst (though there is some of that, too).
The simple truth is that
I keep listening to those albums because I still find myself inspired and
excited by them. They consistently prove to be much more rewarding and
interesting than any number of new CDs that I pick up these days, even
those that I might praise here on the site. And while some folks, for whom
high school is a distant memory, might look on these albums with a tinge
of embarassment, I'm not ashamed of these albums. I don't consider them
"guilty pleasures" in the slightest, nor do I ever get that "what was I
thinking?" sense whenever I pull one off the shelf and slide it into the
player.
At the risk of projecting
my own musical development (or lack thereof) onto others, I suspect that
the folks in Plumerai are much the same way. After all, one can hear the
effects of many hours curled up with Disintegration and Pornography all
over the 4 songs on the Res Cogitans EP. However, the band is not completely
slavish in their devotion to such hallowed sounds, nor are they caught
up in unnecessary nostalgia.
While the basslines, wiry,
chiming guitars, and synthesizer lines do conjure up all that is good and
golden from early 80s British post-punk (case in point, "Linear"), the
song structures are a bit more expansive, owing a debt to shoegaze pop.
However, vocalist Elizabeth Ezell is no fey chanteuse; her voice contains
a snarling sensuality not unlike that of P.J. Harvey or Insides' Kirsty
Yates.
Res Cogitans is a little
uneven and rough around the edges. There are times where a greater sense
of economy would be nice; opening track "Avernal" stalls in the final two
minutes with an accordion-driven finale that feels a bit out of place.
And while it's nice in this day and age of overproducing and studio fakery
to see a band forgo any sense of studio polish and record everything live,
especially a band as atmospherically-minded as Plumerai, a little polish
and overdubbing is not an absolute evil. There are times where the bass-prominent
sound gets muddy, where Ezell's voice isn't as clear and piercing as it
should be, where transitions within songs stumble a bit.
But at their core Plumerai
have things figured pretty well out, especially when Ezell's shivering
voice sidles up against "En Vole"'s sparse guitars and Parisian accordions,
or the band weaves some chilled vibes and a John Barry-esque melody into
"Illuminata". An album is forthcoming sometime in 2007, and one hopes that
the EP's flaws are simply due to the band working out some kinks in their
sound. If honed properly, Plumerai could have something really solid and
eclectic -- seriously, who incorporates accordion into post-punk? -- on
their hands come next year.
~ Jason Morehead, Opus
Four songs. 21 minutes. Both
represent confined space for a band that would be adequately described
as contemplative. Trying to make an impression in that brief period would
be a difficult undertaking for most artists; challenging but, as we learn
from Plumerai, not impossible.
Their EP Res Cognitans is
an obvious showcase for something more. The songs are all stirring numbers,
from the trampling, 7-minute rock number "Avernal" featuring an eastern
European tinge to the Cure-cum-Sundays "Linear," a track that would have
been famous on MTV's 120 Minutes. The song - which would make an ideal
single, features Elizabeth Ezell's pining, straining vocals. Some would
say that Beth Orton or Chan Marshall are both clearly in her class but
her vocal draw comes without peer among pop contemporaries. Her lightning
shudders are sexy deeply affecting the winking guitars, swinging beat,
and by the end loses herself in the crashing mix. Although they are long
for pop songs, nothing on Res Cognitans sprawls so much as it curls softly
into a pensive ball. Plumerai handles the confinement of their recording
very well, bringing esoteric rock elements like an accordion into the mix,
and utilizing a live recording with minimal overdubs. Song craft becomes
the star, backbones provided by Martin Newman's deeply reverb fed guitars
and a rhythm section with the undercurrent of libidinous undulation. The
result is a warm, enthralling sound.
The name Plumerai comes
from a French lullaby about depluming a bird. An arcane reference to draw
for a band title, sure, but it is a more than fitting one. This Boston
area quartet twines dreamy and uncommon strings, and ultimately their EP
is a short, yet rewarding listen. That assessment is true from top to bottom
of Res Cogitans, a taste -- a sample, a trifling of rock extraordinary,
before it's done.
~ Erick Mertz, Kevchino
The first thing you’ll notice
when listening to this official debut EP is the sultry voice of singer
Elizabeth Ezell, who sounds like a mixture of Beth Gibbons of Portishead,
Bjorkk and Heather Nova. The instrumentation furthermore consists of drums,
guitar, bass & keyboard and the sound is influenced by indierock, 80’s
goth and punkrock. The guitars are reverbed like in gothic and shoegaze
music and the bass is playful and reminds more of The Cure or PJ Harvey.
The first song first has a rock-triphop sound but at the end evolves in
fastened up punkrock western style. ‘Linear’ has a steelguitar and sounds
somewhat more uplifting, lyrically however it is just as gloomy. This song
reminds of Heather Nova even more, however unfortunately it is not as good.
‘Illuminata’ has a better build-up of tension and works better as a song.
The connection between the atmospheric sounds and the spiced up bassplay
is very accomplished. ‘En Vole’ is again more faceless as a song. The songs
on Res Cogitans are quite allright but not very good. Most of them do not
keep interesting yet the feeling remains they could have made more out
of this, as the attempts are very nice.
~ Gothtronic
Tout droit sorti de Boston,
le quatuor Plumerai, dont le nom viendrait du français, propose
une musique rock fortement influencée par la scène alternative
anglaise des 90's avec en tête de liste des groupes comme The Cure
et surtout miss PJ Harvey ("Avernal"), tant dans l'interprétation
vocale qu'au niveau des compositions, le côté dépressif
en moins et c'est bien dommage. "Res Cogitans" est un EP 4 titres annonçant
néanmoins un bon deuxième album pour 2007.
~ From Dusk til Dawn
The Next Big Thing? Oh yeah!
Il disco che non ti aspetti.
Mi sono avvicinato a ‘Res
Cogitans’ con assoluta indifferenza e la causa credo sia imputabile a quel
formato (Cdr) così anomalo in casa Silber Records e/o a quell’artwork
così essenziale, povero ed anonimo. Sta di fatto che non avrei scommesso
neanche un centesimo sul suo valore intrinseco ed - invece - sin dal primo
ascolto è stato capace di rapirmi, stupirmi nonché diventare
la mia (nuova) droga.
Troppo poco un EP di quattro
pezzi per manifestare (spero) contagiosi entusiasmi? Forse. Ma i Plumerai
creano assuefazione, in quanto due brani sono semplicemente divini (‘Linear’
ed ‘Illuminata’) ed i rimanenti (due) mancano di poco la perfezione evidenziando
solo piccole incompiutezze: in ‘Avernal’ la lunghezza del brano (7 minuti)
è eccessiva mentre in ‘En Vole’ la sezione ritmica risulta un po’
“caciarona” e dispersiva.
La band dei fratelli Newman
possiede un’arma diabolica: la voce sensuale e passionale di Elizabeth
Ezell che appare lontana e distaccata, ma che riesce ad avvolgerti ed accarezzarti
quanto il calore di un caminetto in pieno inverno. Forse Elizabeth si limita
ad ammiccare ed io ci casco, ma oramai sono perso di lei e della sua voce.
Nel frattempo mi rendo anche conto che come sottofondo la band di Boston
costruisce melodie nostalgiche che mischiano triphop, punkrock, indierock,
pop e dark come se Cure, Portishead, PJ Harvey, Bjork dessero vita ad un’unica
identità… ed io sono diventato un loro fan.
~ Alessandro Lucentini.
Kronic.it