Band: Last Placid Days of Plenty

CD Title: “Headphone Gallery”

Label: Independent Recording

Release Date: 2007

Stop the presses…Alert the media…It would appear we have a new Canadian progressive rock band on the scene! I don’t mean to be flippant about it, but encountering a Canadian band prepared to ply the prog music scene outside of Quebec is somewhat rare. This band, going by the heady name of The Last Placid Days of Plenty hail from Toronto, Ontario Canada and their first independent release is entitled Headphone Gallery and was produced by Eric Domander. With the original line-up of Jamie Robinson (keyboards, rhythm guitar, vocals) and Al Webster (Lead vocals, bass) Eric Domander (drums, percussion, vocals, Theremin) and Doug Stevens (guitar), the initial thoughts of the band go back to 1989. After “Headphone Gallery” was completed in 2007, Jamie and Al left the band to pursue other musical endeavours, so Eric and Doug have continued on and developed into the current quintet consisting of Jeff Morrison (lead vocals, percussion, Theremin, Taurus pedals, Rick Kazmirchuk (keyboards, vocals) and Mike Mulhall (bass, vocals Taurus pedals). Over the years the band has developed quite a local fan base playing live and staying in the public eye all the while honing their musical chops and putting their material together to record.

Musically The Last Placid Days of Plenty has avoided the temptation to perform in the prog-metal genre choosing instead the more esoteric style of Art-Rock with symphonic embellishments. The group’s musical direction to some degree has been guided or directed by Canadian music icons, Paul Gross (Saga) and Terry Sawchuk (Frozen Ghost). It would appear their input has encouraged Plenty to not be afraid of carving out their own unique identity. Headphone Gallery has eleven tracks of varying lengths and wide ranging musical styles including the closing 18-minute epic “The End of an Era” which slides effortlessly through any number of musical styles and motifs to tell its tale. The band have taken their influences from bands such as Pink Floyd, Queen, Genesis, Supertramp and others like that and come up with a very interesting blend. Take for example the instrumental “Asleep at the Wheel” (6:15) which is loaded with tension and not a little angularity, changing directions any number of times before its grand culmination. Then we go into the Klaatu/Queen inspired comical “Mr. Boggs” (4:55). The disc starts off with the moody and atmospheric instrumental “Into the Labyrinth” (1:12) which slides directly into the Dark-Side-Floyd-like “Sand in Rain” (6:08). I was particularly intrigued with the track “A Classic Past” (5:34) which starts off in softer ballad fashion with some pleasant ringing acoustic guitar before encountering the songs grand and majestic melodic chorus. There is plenty of musical variety to take in here.

Fans of bands such as Crack the Sky, the progressive side of Klaatu or bands like Grace or Tristian Park will find much to enjoy listening to The Last Placid Days of Plenty. Like those bands Plenty do an awful lot within songs that may be only four to six minutes in length. I’ll admit to having a real soft spot for groups like this, so I’m became a confirmed fan after the first listen. Headphone Gallery may have taken some time to come together, but it’s a strong opening statement with plenty of variety and proggy musical approaches to please a wide range of fans. I only hope that we hear more from Plenty sooner rather than later.