www.needleinthegroove.co.uk: Perfect Plan

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Perfect Plan - 'All Rise' Album Review

Perfect Plan – All Rise

Before you start panicking, this isn’t the UK boy band Blue under a different name to fool the punters. This is Perfect Plan from that hotbed of melodic rock Örnsköldsvik (a place sooooo metal, it has two umlauts in its name – now that’s what I call metal!). What I meant was, Sweden. Ya see, the Swedes turn out more melodic rock than a bear with the shits, who shits in the woods. It's not as if they are pants either, most are well known across Europe and beyond – Eclipse, Treat, The Poodles, Reach, WET, and about 800 more!

In fact I've long been saying that as soon as these musical buggers leave school, its National Service (i.e. THE LAW) to start up a melodic rock, or a death metal band, or anything in-between. Don’t believe me – then go and Google ‘Swedish Rock Bands’.

Perfect Plan started in 2014, and came to the attention of Frontiers about 12 months ago. It took them nearly three years to dig themselves out of their snow covered bunker. There was a sixth member, but he got eaten when lots were drawn and it was down to band survival. They are Rolf Nordström (guitar), P-O Sedin (bass), Fredrik Forsberg Drums), Leif Ehlin (Keys), and new singer Kent Hilli who’s only output I can dig up is a single from 2016 called Silent Prayer, and is as far away from Perfect Plan, as I am to Örnsköldsvik!

Just listen to opening track ‘Bad City Woman’ and its instantly noticeable that this is going to be something good, nay, special. Hilli has a great voice for melodic rock, think of a Danny Vaughn/Hugo/Dave Bickler hybrid and you’ll not be far wrong. It has all the right bits - Breathy vocals (check), high pitched vocals that only certain mammals can hear (check), an instantly memorable chorus (check, and check again). It (BCW) even has a lengthy fade out which is practically unheard of nowadays. ‘In And Out Of Love’ gets my juices flowing with a nice organ (fnarr!) opening riff. It was a teaser for the album back in February that I instantly fell in (but not out of) love with. A huge song that would have made them a household name had this been 1988 and not 2018. It’s easy to overplay and go all widdly on guitar solos, but Nordström plays it with a straight bat, and doesn’t go for 280 notes a second, and lets the song breathe and has the hallmarks of being a modern classic.

‘Stone Cold Lover’ is a high tempo number that’s very Tyketto like, and recent video ‘Gone Too Far’ draws on Journey and has touches of Bailey in his vocals. ‘Taking Me Down’ s chorus throws all its influence firmly at Hardline’s door. ‘Too Late’ carries on with its catchy, well, everything really. Fad enough? Of course you haven’t, as Perfect Plan what to pummel you into melodic rock submission. ‘Can’t Turn Back’ is a song that is so eighties it was recorded on a beach in 120 degrees with the band wearing leg warmers, and listening to Walkmans. (Look it up Millennials!). It’s a punchy pop rock song that would have ‘No Limits’ (again Millennials, look, Google, etc.,) fans pouting in anticipation. ‘Never Surrender’ is catchy as a UHU covered baseball mitt. ‘1985’ is as corny as they come, and wears it proud ‘take me back, wet me tell you about rock n roll, it’s a part of my body and soul, as all I wanna do is rock n roll with you’ and were gonna rock this city like its 85!’ and lots of other clichés that they have raided from many a hair metal band, and so on. Hell Yeah!! I’m sold. It is clichéd and been done before, but when its done this good, who cares? Not me. It doesn’t end there, both ‘What Can I Do?’ and ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’ round up proceedings very nicely.

I think this could be in the melodic rock Top 3 for many a list come the end of the year. Perfect Plan have pretty much nailed it, an album chock full of catchy, quality tunes that will me the envy, and enjoyment of many.

No doubt other reviewers, particularly melodic rock ones will be wetting their nappies in pure orgasmic delight at this release. Lets be honest here, whilst it isn’t a Foreigner ‘4’, Journey ‘Frontiers’ or Icon ‘Night Of The Crime’, its just bloody good and thoroughly deserves a nine.

Score 9/10

Tracklisting

Bad City Woman

In And Out Of Love

Stone Cold Lover

Gone Too Far

What Goes Around

Too Late

Can’t Turn Back

Never Surrender

1985

What Can I Do

Heaven In Your Eyes

Released by Frontiers April 20th

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ABOUT ME

I was brought up on my dad's record collection of rock 'n' roll greats. He was a Teddy Boy and had all the gear (and hair) - drain pipe trousers, jacket, crepe shoes. We listened to Elvis, Bill Hailey, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Fats Domino, Tommy Steel, and the big names from the sixties such as Dave Clark Five, Wayne Fontana, Dave Dee (etc.,). This music was the kind that you would listen to to rebel against and annoy your parents; it was rough, wild, and the Ted's had a reputation.

So, fast forward to the end of the 70's. I was about 12 when it was the thing to choose your musical stance. It had to be a good choice as there was no going back. You had to be a mod, or a rocker back around 1980. I had a mate (still do, just the one mind) and he was an influence with regards to my musical tastes (and we still go gigging together to this day), and what with my dad's influence I chose the rocker route. I've never looked back. We (me and dad) both started a musical journey where our parents hated what we listened to! In fact, being a teenager in the mid 50s, it wasn't any different to being a teenager in the late 70's/early 80's with regards to rebellion. Although in my era, you couldnt get rickets.

I was fed strictly on a cassette diet of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Rush and Rainbow. From there it expanded into melodic rock and hair metal - Journey, Foreigner, Stryper, Ratt, Motley Crue, and Dokken. And Prog!

I absorbed all I could. I was a human sponge. The internet was eons away, so I got my fix via a wonderful weekly paper called 'Sounds.' It covered a lot of genres, but they specialised in Rock! I read it every week without fail for about three years. I loved the way their reporters wrote articles. It was like they were talking directly to me. It's how I try to do the same today. When it stopped, I moved with the crowd and subscribed to 'Kerrang!' A lot of the 'Sounds' crew moved across, and it felt like home. I wanted to know more about what was happening over in the U.S. So I subscribed to 'Hit Parader' - it was shite really, the articles weren't great, but the pictures were good. Plus I could follow the Dokken feud between Don and George. Thirty odd years later, they still hate each other! Today, its a diet of 'Classic Rock' Mag, sometimes 'Prog Mag', 'Fireworks' and 'Planet Rock' mag.

My enjoyment of this music has never waned. I see the same people time and again and its a great community. I try to get to as many gigs as I can still as its much better than sitting on your arse reviewing. I hope you enjoy the blog!

Paul Chesworth