Le Grand
Plastic Jazz


4.5
superb

Review

by Thompson D. Gerhart STAFF
June 2nd, 2019 | 28 replies


Release Date: 2019 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Pressing CHON for market share with a top notch upbeat math rock product

I want to have a million little deep things to say about Le Grand and Plastic Jazz, because it's just such a wonderful little record full of intricate moments and melodies tied up into a tight bundle. The conciseness on Plastic Jazz alone is immediately appreciable in the space between progressive rock and math rock where unchecked musical proficiency often gives way to grandiosity. Instead, the Kansas City quintet come across more as a less video game-y CHON (despite the title of opener "Button Mashing") with swerve - and even some wobble - on tracks like the wah heavy "This Shirt Feels Backwards Both Ways."

The energy on Plastic Jazz is almost entirely upbeat, dotted with jazzy melancholy in only the way a few pinches of spice cuts the sweetness in desserts to create a truly a gourmet touch. And though it's full of moments showcasing each player's prowess, the band are wise never to take things over the edge, allowing theme to dictate the flow of each song. Again, it's a subtlety lost on many instrumental endeavors, but this thematic focus, combined with the standard runtimes of each track on the 6 track EP - none less than 3 minutes and none lasting even 4 - makes the album instantly and easily digestible despite intricacies which can easily keep you coming back for more.

While similarities to CHON are hard to ignore, Le Grand certainly put an impressive product on a table only really dominated by one other band. Considering Plastic Jazz is their first offering in the world of high-energy upbeat math rock, full of tippy-tap highs scored by frenetic drumming and bubbly lows, I can only hope that Le Grand forge forward and give us more to stupidly grin at as they evolve. And that their tour dates with TTNG this summer give them the exposure needed to put them over the top in terms of visibility and success.




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user ratings (18)
3.4
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
AtomicWaste
Moderator
June 2nd 2019


2888 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This is the only kind of thing I really listen to anymore idk

EclipseInYourEyes
June 2nd 2019


1719 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

this comment is a reminder for me to listen to this tomorrow.

GreyShadow
June 2nd 2019


7332 Comments


I'm less than a minute into Button Mashing and I'm already in love. this is just what I was in the mood for

Calc
June 3rd 2019


17463 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

i hope this doesn't actually sound like CHON but is similar.

AtomicWaste
Moderator
June 3rd 2019


2888 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I feel like it's a nearest neighbor situation where the nearest neighbor used to be a good few miles away.

JS19
June 3rd 2019


7777 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Chon is not top tier math rock

Bedex
June 3rd 2019


3148 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Chon is not top tier math rock [2]



This is very much like CHON but I would not say they are the same. You couldn't mistake one for the other

Mort.
June 4th 2019


26092 Comments


chon is top tier math rock for people who mistake noodling for complexity and in turn mistake complexity for good songwriting

9Hammer
June 4th 2019


488 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Eh, I can dig this a bit. Not too shabby here, though I think the record loses stream around the latter half.

Bedex
June 4th 2019


3148 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Yeah the first half was kinda nice but the second half killed it for me

GreyShadow
June 4th 2019


7332 Comments


sure CHON isn't top tier, but they're definitely good. you gotta be pretty anti-fun to straight up not like em tbh

Calc
June 5th 2019


17463 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

they are zzzzzzzz now and slurped too much. but every album they put out I hope they can break out of the rut

EclipseInYourEyes
June 5th 2019


1719 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

okay! let's do this. LEEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOY....

EclipseInYourEyes
June 5th 2019


1719 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

...meh. Very CHON-like. At least I've got chicken.

Gyromania
June 5th 2019


37485 Comments


yeah this is mad boring

StarvingArtist
June 6th 2019


116 Comments


Certainly not unlike Chon, but I can dig.

Project
June 6th 2019


5901 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Solidly alright, except for Matthew 2.0 which bangs

DinosaurJones
June 7th 2019


10402 Comments


Will check.

sepiaclouds
June 7th 2019


47 Comments


CHON is not top-tier math rock [3]

Josh D.
June 8th 2019


17851 Comments


Just started "This Shirt Feels Backwards Both Ways" and immediately did that scrunched face forward head bob thing, this thing funks all sorts of ways, Monday through Friday you're laughin.



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