Album Review by EDF
Plight is New Zealander Marc Beasley who performs 98% of what you hear on this debut release. The album was recorded, played and mixed on his home computer, which is now a more than common feature with independent artists. Anyone who is familiar with bands such as Crowded House and the Mutton Birds will have an idea of what to expect.
UTOPIA features a sinister sounding keyboard hook which highlights the fact that “too many people run our lives”. The verbal velocity of YOU CAN’T TOUCH ME conjures of comparisons of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. The guitar heavy MONSTA deals with a person’s relationship with a partner who views them as a monster and is unfortunate to be caught in “its grasp, well you might as well be dead”. SHE DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE deals with a person who is unaware that the other needs them so much that if someone was to “take away my muse and I’m naked”.
There is a constant theme running through these songs and it is evident from the album’s title itself THE ROMANCE OF TRAVEL. The songs themselves have a heart and while there is a slight Beatles influence, they are very accessible to anyone in search of a decent tune or melody. Anyone who follows music from New Zealand should not be too surprised by the usual high quality of melodic singer/songwriter from that part of the world.
