This 10-track record entitled "It Could be Home" by the British ensemble known as Plenty is an interesting one. The record has actually been in the making for a few decades and Plenty itself was formed all the way back in 1986 by Tim Bowness (No-man). It basically evolved out of the Liverpudlian post-punk experimentalists A Better Mousetrap and the art rock outfit named After the Stranger, so there is definitely some history and musical pedigree here folks.

 

Anyway, "It Could be Home" basically consists of re-worked and re-recorded versions of Plenty tunes dating from those murky 1980s and the results are both satisfying and strangely compelling. The tracks all possess a certain drive, which is partly fueled by pulsating bass lines and energetic synths, and flow together nicely. Despite the heavy use of keyboards and synthesizers, the album as a whole has an organic and warm feel to it that is emphasized by Bowness’ morose vocals and those melancholy guitars that float in and out of the band’s moving soundscapes. This is perfectly exemplified by the outstanding track titled "Strange Gods".

 

The introspective lyrics are also vital to unlocking the otherworldly and haunting vibe of "It Could be Home". While one could be tempted into labeling this a post-punk album, that would actually be somewhat unfair in that Plenty transcend genre definitions and are clearly driven by all kinds of different impulses and inspirations. A mixture of Steven Wilson, Talk Talk, and No-man instead then? Art pop mixed with experimental rock and ambient music? Maybe, but who the fuck cares, really? The thing is that It Could be Home is an interesting and solid record that sounds as if it exists outside time and space. On top of that, it rarely loses momentum, so do your open-minded self a favor and check this intriguing piece out once it hits the streets in late April.

 

https://weareplenty.bandcamp.com/album/it-could-be-home