Just as the UK faced a second lockdown, Plastic Barricades released their latest album ‘Self-Theories’. Fitting with the conflicting moods of the nation, ‘Self-Theories’ explores feelings of despair, hope, anxiety, optimism and self-discovery.

‘Self-Theories’ combines loveable indie guitar-rock with a nostalgic aura of 70s classic ‘Dad rock’. The modern-classic hybrid makes for an accessible collection of tracks, the kind that are reminiscent of road trips with your parents when you were a kid. The personal, reflective themes featured throughout the album hold levels of relatability, as we collectively experience these dystopian realities as one.

‘Tunnel’ opens the album and is certainly a strong choice in welcoming you into ‘Self-Theories’. The track has a fitting level of momentum to prick your ears and suck you into the album. Incorporating fierce guitar riffs, melodic choruses and an intriguing narrative, ‘Tunnel’ sets the standard high.

‘Optimist’ follows the opening track, with a breezy guitar melody introducing the music. The vocals feel a bit wordy during the verses and could afford to lose a syllable or two, however the vocals in the chorus flow a lot smoother. The math-rock sounding track feels slightly jolty but makes for an interesting listen.

‘Don’t Follow Me’ and ‘Glaring Screens’ incorporate airy, up-beat choruses, reminiscent of festival season. The feel-good tracks hold strong grooves, with structured guitars and hard-hitting beats under wispy, floaty vocals. The head-voice vocals are quite delicate and at times feel like they’re battling with the weight of the music, perhaps needing a bit more power or a boost from additional backing vocals. ‘Weightless’ definitely nods its head to Britpop, conjuring an Oasis-styled vibe.

‘Right To Be Adored’ presents itself as one of the album’s stronger tracks. The flow of the music seems to resonate a bit freer with the band, with their musical abilities suiting the track’s style well. Again, the chorus needs a little boost from backing vocals but the overall sound of ‘Right To Be Adored’ has been executed well. The instrumentation of gritty guitar chords, poppy drumbeats and resonant riffs feels like a hybrid of Catfish and the Bottlemen and early Kaizer Chiefs that blend decades of indie-rock together as one.

‘Game of Numbers’ and ‘Spectators’ too pay homage to pioneers of indie and alternative rock. Again, using intricate riffs and adlibs in the track’s introductions, elements of Radiohead can be heard morphing into radio-ready pop-choruses.

‘One For the Road’ (ironically enough) does indeed feel a seriously good driving song. The track feels a little more unique to the band- it plays to their strengths and sounds like a more comfortable performance. The narrative too is clear over the chilled, laid-back track, leaving the lyrics open to be delved into.

Ultimate of the finished tracks on the album, ‘The Great Unknown’ has a similar feel to ‘One For The Road’ in it feels comfortable and is very much tailored to the band’s style. With it being ‘The Great Unknown’, it’s fitting to see out the finished tracks, feeling very much like a concluding track.

Closing the album fully are demos ‘Everyone is Busy’ and ‘Final Chance’. Including the two demos is an interesting idea, giving the listeners a taste of what’s to come after they’ve listened to the album.

‘Self-Theories’ as a whole is a decent indie-rock album which explores relatable narratives and nods its head to plenty of influence. It would have been advantageous to hear a higher range of diverse composition unique to the bands individual style, but the elements of a completely true sound are bubbling away amongst the surface. This would have allowed for a little more contrast within the album, thickening the texture and widening the boundaries of the album. That being said, ‘Self-Theories’ is definitely one to think about sticking on during your next road trip. Check it out below!

Website: www.plasticbarricades.eu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/plasticbarricades
Instagram: @plasticbarricades
Spotify: https://bit.ly/selftheories

Plastic Barricades – Self Theories

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