“Hey, I hate the world today // I bet the world feels the same way about me… No matter how hard I try // Things fall apart and I don’t know why.” Plastic Tones lead vocalist Roto sings this on Just a Feeling from their second LP Can You Keep A Secret? But rest assured, this song (nor this record) is no downer drowning in self-pity. This Finnish five-piece plays mostly upbeat indie punk with an undercurrent of ’80s new wave and power pop. Sure, it has melancholic undertones, but even more so a restless urgency to break free from inertia. The vocals are a major asset of Plastic Tones, delivered with a sense of clarity and conviction that make you believe all the words. At their core, these songs ask one persistent question: in a world that feels broken beyond repair, what does it actually take to stop wasting time and start living?
Well, writing songs this life-affirming is a good start to providing a satisfying answer. And so, the record finishes on a high note with the hit You Can Do Whatever You Wanna Do: “You feel depleted // So defeated // I’m gonna tell you now // You can do whatever you wanna do // Wannado, wannado // Do it!”
Not a bad arc at all, and even better record!
LP available now through Kick Rock (France) and Vox Populi (Japan).