Album Review
Aeroplane Flies High – Honey EP
Debut EP’s are always a bit of a tough one. There’s normally no previous work to compare it to, it doesn’t define who the band are and it’s normally just used as an indication of where the band are heading. Instead of being great records in their own right, they’re viewed as a tool for spotting progressive raw talent. It seems that Aeroplane Flies High are here to prove us wrong.
Their debut EP ‘Honey’ opens with the title track – there’s no messing about with this one. There’s no fancy ‘intro’ track and no atmospherics, which is instantly refreshing for a modern-day rock band. From 2 seconds in there’s no second guessing what this band are like, or what they are going to be like. It’s refreshingly different, yet recognisably the same. To be honest, their 90’s grunge/alt rock style is so convincing that they could almost pass as a Smashing Pumpkins revival. It’s a strong track, followed by equally entrancing ‘Only You’. If you hadn’t got the 90’s memo, here it is again. It’s dark without having to be stereotypically heavy. It’s dissonant without being unpleasant. More impressively, it’s simple but incredibly memorable and bizarrely catchy. Not only do they manage to keep a consistently high standard throughout they finish with their most stand-out track ‘Growing’ – filled with dirty Nirvana-esque guitar work, and Grohl-textured vocals.
They may be a young band, but they’re definitely more than convincing at what they do. In fact, if Nirvana, Weezer, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins or any of the grunge pioneers in their early career had a love-child, Aeroplane Flies High would be it.
It’s a shame they missed the festival boat this year, but with a growing live presence and the strong media support that they almost definitely deserve, it’s no doubt they will be a name that’ll be hard to avoid in coming years.
Pretty much every sub-genre of rock has made a comeback over the past year, now its grunge’s turn.
– Mercedes Brown
Venue: Honey EP
Support Band: Snaketown Records