The Plan - Nervous Energy

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THE PLAN has been described as ‰Û÷Talking Heads meets the Breeders‰۪ but debutalbum Nervous Energy takes the band in a moreprogressive and experimental direction. Post-punk in origin but with overtones of no wave,psych and garage rock, the record flaunts its flexibility with a mismatch of emotions.Nihilism, humour and pure joy compete and collude with an overriding positivity carryingall songs.Along with the announcement, the band has shared the snappy new single 'Annotate TheText', its repetitive, tumbling post-punk call-and-response coming in at just over one and ahalf minutes. Guitarist/vocalist Rebecca Gillieron says of it: "I used to be an editor, so thiswas probably written whilst I was meant to be working, and it‰۪s about taking control of reality, embellishing the best features of your existence, deleting negative factors, shapingthe positive elements." Nervous Energy showcases THE PLAN's love of straightforwardly good tunes thatget screwed-up by degrees. Fierce beats, unruly guitars and barely suppressed maniafrom the keys and homemade-cello underlay soaring harmonies delivered by wellmatchedfemale vocals. ‰Û÷You can dance to it too‰۪, they claim.Originally the side project of Rebecca Gillieron from all-female trio Wetdog (Angular Records, Upset The Rhythm), THE PLAN has become a force of its own. Forming last summer, this definitive line-up includes previous members of Vic Godard‰۪s Subway Sect, Private Trousers and The Ghosts and keeps itself close to home: half the members live together, some are married, many are related. Song themes shape-shift across the record; subjects range from childhood memories (‰ÛÏ'The Wall' was triggered by the memory of throwing a tennis ball against a brick wall atprimary school for hours"), romanticising about natural, local luxuries ('Abbey Wood'),abandoning inhibitions and jumping straight into the unknown ('Pier Party Nerves'), "theconflicting desires of wanting a nice, quiet, controlled and peaceful life but at the sametime harbouring after extreme chaos and instability" ('Bright Lights'), and the simple joysof being a parent ('Chorus').The band has varied tastes but share a love of post-punk greats like Talking Heads, ThisHeat, Wire, The Fall, as well as slightly lesser-known punk/post-punk/alternative classicslike The Prats, Country Teasers, Male Nurse, Yummy Fur, Fire Engines, mixed with adesire to throw in big ESG-style dance beats and pop hooks like genius Kim Deal. THE PLAN all live in Southend-on-Sea, flourishing on its beach life and doing their bit to secure its reputation as the ‰Û÷cultural capital‰۪ of Essex. SOUTHEND RECORDS is a new label set up in 2016 to promote imaginative bands fromthe Estuary area.