September 22, 2023 | 0 Comments

THE PLANES – DARK MATTER RECYCLING CO is at Top 200 Radio Now!!!

The Planes came to me via my good pal Bryan Bruchman, who runs Totally Real Records out of NY (and who plays in Mount Sharp, and who also released Weekend Lovers back in 2020). This album, Dark Matter Recycling Co. (that is the album title, not the record label!), reminds me at times of some of the best of 90s indie/alt rock: Pavement, Built to Spill, even Nirvana. Some super catchy stuff on here as well as some real rockers. I had only the smallest handful of hard copies of this one, so make sure to grab the download if your station is at all able to!

THE PLANES

DARK MATTER RECYCLING CO

Totally Real Records

The Planes are an indie rock band founded in Brooklyn, NY, back in the summer of 2010 by songwriter, singer, and guitarist Stephen Otto Perry. Since then, Perry has relied on a rotating cast of musicians to craft no-nonsense indie jams of varying levels of excellence. To date, there have been over 25 musicians to perform as members of the band. Currently, the band consists of Don Lavis, the powerful drummer who performed on the upcoming album Dark Matter Recycling Co., and Jackie Peronne, who played bass on 2017’s Wax Diamond.

Through the years, the band has chugged along deep under the surface, earning a rep for deft songwriting, electric live performances, and tight musicianship (occasionally loosened by inebriation). An efficient, well-oiled indie rock machine that has never ridden a bandwagon or chased a trend, they have crafted a voice and vibe that is unmistakably theirs, despite existing in an ultra-crowded genre. With a very small, but very loyal fanbase, The Planes have become favorites at Brooklyn’s more obscure DIY spots (Pet Rescue, EWEL), while occasionally playing bigger shows at spaces like Shea Stadium and the Knitting Factory.

The follow-up to 2021’s Eternity on Its Edge, The Planes’ new album Dark Matter Recycling Co. was recorded by Jeff Berner (Psychic TV) at Studio G in Brooklyn by Perry, Lavis, and bassist Rob Mellinger. A louder, grungier, more alt-rock inspired album than previous Planes albums, Perry leans into his 90s alterna-teen years for inspiration on fuzz guitar–laden anthems like “Freezehead” and “First Breath After Mask”. Of course, the borderline indie pop of Planes’ past sneaks through in bops like “Thrift Store” and “Feels Like Years”.

Dark Matter Recycling Co. will be available on 9/15/23 on limited-edition marble vinyl, cassette, streaming, and digital download, via Totally Real Records in the US and Safe Suburban Home Records in the UK.