The Last Placid Days Of Plenty - "Headphone Gallery" Review

Artist/ Band: The Last Placid Days Of Plenty
Title: Headphone Gallery
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2007
Artist/ Band Link (click for more details)

The Review:

I was brought to the attention of a brand new Canadian progressive rock band called The Last Placid Days of Plenty, who are from Toronto. Producer, drummer, vocalist, Theremin, Eric Domander provided me a copy of their debut release entitled Headphone Gallery. Joining Eric Domander are Doug Stevens (guitar), Jeff Morrison (lead vocals, percussion, Theremin, Taurus pedals), Rick Kazmirchuk (keyboards, vocals) and Mike Mulhall (bass, vocals Taurus pedals). The band first started back in 1989 but over the years they developed what’s to become on their debut album.

Musically The Last Placid Days of Plenty falls somewhere between progressive, symphonic and art rock. On the 11 tracks the band goes through an eclectic mix of styles which reminds me of Queen, Genesis, Pink Floyd, (fellow countrymen) Saga and Klaatu as well as modern acts like Kino, RPWL, Ritual and a few others. For prog fans, the closing track18-minute epic “The End of an Era” and Floydian inspired “Sand In Rain” are worth the admission alone.

One of the more eclectic songs on the album is the comical “Mr. Boggs” which seem to sound like a cross between Queen (A Night At The Opera) and early Genesis (Foxtrot). From these songs alone you can hear in many ways the band took all the best rock elements of the 70’s and blended them into a very good cohesive mix. Fans of bands of the aforementioned bands will need to get a copy of Headphone Gallery ASAP! This is definitely recommended!!!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on June 19th, 2008

Tracks:

1. Into The Labyrinth

2. Sand In Rain

3. Pressure

4. Asleep At The Wheel

5. Mr. Boggs

6. A Classic Past

7. The Ironclads (Hampton Roads)

8. My Macabre Machine

9. Invisible Man

10. Diamond Jack and the Velvet Maurders

11. The End of An Era