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A hot new band from the U.K?
I used to get excited before even hearing a note. A Q cover, a fawning NME - that's all I needed to get on board. Now after a year of being burned by one fabulously mediocre Brit-pop band after another, I've decided to hear first, believe the hype later.
While I haven't heard more than the four tracks available on its web site, I can say that People in Planes - from Cardiff, Wales - does not sound like another NME clone band manufactured to sucker us into believing in the "the next big thing". Yes for once it seems, a new U.K. band is not trying to rework the same damn dance punk equation. So God bless People in Planes for liking Neil Young more than Gang of Four. After a delicate falsetto preamble, "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)" (MP3) dives into the melodically murky end of the indie rock pool, with piles of guitars and a simple, stoned vocal.
Oh and God bless Joaquin Phoenix too. Because instead of directing a Test Icicles video for example, he chose to work with People in Planes. Mr. Cash himself directed the video for "If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)". It hasn't been released yet, but there is a press release and some behind-the-scenes photos available on the PiP site.
FYI: People in Planes used to be named Tetra Splendour. The band spoke to the BBC about the name change and the release of its new album, As Far As The Eye Can See..., which is released in the U.S. March 28.