Not A Planet, “The Few, The Proud, The Strange”

cover - not a planet the few the proudKansas City trio Not A Planet have the potential to be that next band to step to the next level. Much like the ACBs or Cowboy Indian Bear, the group has mastered the art of taking familiar sounds and recontexualizing them into something fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, Not A Planet has yet to direct their sound into something consistent.

While, yes, a band needs to diversify and do more than perform the same song repeatedly over the course of 10-12 tracks, some sort of thematic or tonal through-line helps. While the gentleman of Not A Planet are indisputably talented musicians, one gets hesitant applying the same compliment to the band as a whole.
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Friday night at Middle of the Map

Thoughts from Friday night at Middle of the Map:

– Many more small-scale shows, fewer of the blow-out parties of last year. Even Iceage and Jeff the Brotherhood back-to-back at the Riot Room wasn’t nearly as crazy as Fucked Up / Coalesce the year before.
– Speaking of Iceage: holy shit. A total clusterfuck mess. Far more entertaining than their show at the Jackpot, though. Honestly, they could’ve played “Ecstacy” over and over for the half hour they were on stage, and I would’ve been happy.
Not A Planet has half a set that sounds like Kara’s Flowers, which I really enjoyed, and another half of a set that sounds like the White Stripes, which I didn’t care for. Good pipes on that singer, though.
– If ever there were a band which i didn’t understand, it would be the Joy Formidable. Their drummer was all crash and bang. They’re essentially a less-dynamic Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or a band that listened to a lot of My Bloody Valentine, only to get the roar and none of the subtleties. There must’ve been a reason the Uptown was packed for their set, but I can’t figure out why. Everyone couldn’t’ve been waiting for Grizzly Bear.
Grizzly Bear was amazing. Words can do no justice, and I think the images (complete with weird moving flaming jellyfish-style lights) do more to evoke what was taking place on that Uptown stage than anything I could write. They were just beautiful.