Plajia

Wonderfully real music! Plajia has managed to capture the essence of rock and roll while bringing us back to a comfortable time zone.
Reminiscent of late 60's feel good music, the simple melodies and catchy guitar riffs have us closing our eyes and envisioning a wonderful world filled with love and happiness. Not hippy, but One Love music is best used to describe these talented musicians. Plajia appears to have found a true oneness with their instruments and demonstrates this extremely well on the soul shaking track "Rock On". I found myself bobbing my head and smiling while the genuine warmth of something "that fit" moved me. "Sleeping" gave me a pleasantly mind opening experience. As the waves of the musical melange hit me, Patrick Pleau's crooning voice stirred something inside that reminded me of the awakening necessary for all of us. "Dummy's" haunting guitar riffs and melodic keys give this track a solid hard edge that can't be forgotten. The soldieristic drums embed the truth of the message delivered. One of my favorites!Overall an impressive vibe from a truly uncompromising band. Rock On Plajia! - catsask.com

They do not have the sound we have become accustomed to from Montreal indie bands like Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, and numerous others. Their sound is tough to accurately describe (always a good thing), primarily because the tracks I received showcase an impressive stylistic variety. From the (nearly) epic prog-rock of "The Party" to the restrained balladry of "Sleeping", the band seems unwilling to stick to particular formula. Their influences are evident but they do not sound overly derivative. With OK Computer-era Thom Yorke style vocals, atmospheric/ethereal guitar work, strong melodies, and tasteful arrangements, the band has quite an enjoyable sound. Give these guys a listen, Plajia demonstrate some serious potential on the three tracks below. - moroccanrole.blogspot.com

As with their fellow Canucks, Rush, the band are a trio, though not a power trio. There's little in the way of fat, distorted guitars to be found. Instead there are more clean tones and acoustic as well. OK, there's some fuzziness to be had but that's it. "The Party" has lots of jangly guitar and singer Patrick Pleau's voice initially struck me as a kind of cross between Roger Hodgson and Billy Corgan singing like Thom Yorke. At 6:16, the tune is their epic statement and it's great. There are several guitar overdubs and they are orchestrated really well – full but not obtrusive. I was reminded of early to mid70s Pink Floyd. The song kind of meanders with the dynamics being very subtle. The song slowly builds with orchestrated guitar parts becoming layered and the tempo hastening just a bit. Great stuff. "Am I Magician" features more dynamic parts and some great soloing. Keyboards are also present to bolster the sound. "Cecilia's Children" sounds like the band's homage to surf music with its beat and a staccato solo. But there's also some great 12-string guitar work and the chorus is just blatantly catchy. Next we have "Singers Being All Alone". The Thom Yorke singing style really comes to the fore here for me. Radiohead is no doubt an influence on the band and a good starting point for their sound. But Radiohead with most of the snyths replaced by jangly 12-string guitar and some of the ambient replaced by the catchy pop of The Beatles. It's like The Byrds doing Radiohead. "What Is Your Sign?" sounds like it was recorded at a different time than the above songs as the bass drums are right up front and it sounds like they went with the Bob Rock style that he developed for Metallica. But the songs are nothing like Metallica, mind you. Though there is some busy fuzzy guitar to be had here. A bit more rockin' than the rest of the stuff but still good. The first two-thirds of "Gifted Suns" has much the same feel as "Feel So Low" by Porcupine Tree. It's a slow, tender song with heavily-processed vocals. Then there's a triangle fill and the drums enter the scene with a nice upbeat slow jam to end the tune. Finally there is "Sleeping". It features a faux string section and is perhaps the most straightforward song of the bunch. - upthedownstairs.com

These guys should seriously contact Quentin Tarantino. They've got a sound that would be perfect for one of those unforgettable movie moments perfectly complemented by the soundtrack. Think of Urge Overkill/Pulp Fiction or Stealers Wheel/Resevoir Dogs and you'll know what I mean.

Hailing from the ridiculously (or so it seems) musical rich environment of Montreal, Quebec, Plajia offers a unique mixture of Radiohead (instruments and some of the vocals and Pink Floyd (guitar riffs) with a slight touch of John Lennon nostalgia.

The production and effort on the available tracks are spectacular. - my-head-hurts.blogspot.com

What do you get when you combine an infectiously happy melody, fresh lyrics, and an unexpected musical twist? You get Plajia's smash title track, "Beautiful Explosion," off of their Beautiful Explosion CD.

From the very beginning, the energy of this tune pulls you in. It's upbeat, catchy, and I absolutely love the lyrics. Singer Patrick Pleau belts out confidently, "Fly down, hit bounds from Rockefeller, I slip a water balloon. It took like fifty seconds to get their New York heads wet and surprised." Pleau's delivery is captivatingly in your face, demanding that the listener become a part of the music.

Plajia says their sound was inspired by 60's and 70's icons spun into a more progressive form. The early influences are subtly noticeable and enjoyable. However, to the credit of the band, Plajia certainly has taken these influences and woven them into an impressively unique sound of their own. This performance caught my attention in seconds and has kept me coming back for more.

At the heart of the recordings on their CD is a solid rock trio featuring Pleau (vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, and harmonica), Paco Laviolette (drums, percussion, and backing vocals), and Simon Boivin (bass and backing vocals). The band has also recruited some great guest back-up vocalists and instrumentalists. Though the band line-up has changed since the release of Beautiful Explosion, I'm sure the new additions to the group really enjoy playing this tune.

What I like most about "Beautiful Explosion" is the unexpected musical shift in the middle of the song. The rhythm and timing change into something faster and completely different. From this break, the group manages to transition into a slick guitar instrumental and then back into the song's catchy beginning. I love the pop-sensibility, and I also love the unexpected changes. "Beautiful Explosion" is like being on a carnival ride in the dark. You don't know what's coming next, but it sure is fun.

Plajia's got a winner with the title track to their album, Beautiful Explosion. Keep an eye out for this Montreal-based trio. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about them. - Listener's Generation - 1 song review

Montreal's Plajia don't steal anything.
The amazing thing about the Montreal music scene, is that the bands emerging from the city have been varied and distinctive for decades.

Four-piece rockers Plaijia are no exception, and instead of going down the road of Talking Heads tributes or Stooges-style freak outs, they combine a love for Radiohead and Pink Floyd to create a sad, soaring sound that's right at home in the middle of the night.

Lead by singer and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Pleau, his voice floats above the music with tear-filled doe eyes and mournful defeatism. Guitar player Denis Charbonneau, Bass player Bryan Ortiz and drummer Jean-Francois Lefoll round out the band's full sound that wouldn't be out of place scoring the "Wizard of Oz" or a sullen night starting at black-light posters.

If you are interesting in giving this band a try, listen to Sleeping off their 2005 release Sitis. For more MP3s check out the band's official website, which actually has some pretty cool flash stuff on it. While no plans are set, the band should be returning to Hogtown in the summer and are worth an eyeball or two. - A Soundtrack For Everyone

Plajia is a four-piece indie outfit from Montreal, Canada. The music of the band is not easy to describe, it's an experimental rock, filled with various emotions, and obviously influenced by the music of Radiohead, Pink Floyd, etc. 'Plajia' is a name derived from the word “plagiarism” which means: “To put forth as original to oneself the ideas or words of another”.

The band has released three EPs ('Fetch', 'Cellular Phone', 'Citis') and the LP named 'Citis', enhanced version of the EP with the same name. The albums can be purchased via Plajia web page. - indiesurfer.blogspot.com

In what was the inaugural (oft neglected) Free Music Friday post I featured a Montreal band called Plajia. Since I had mentioned the band previously on my blog, Patrick, the lead singer from the band was gracious enough to send me a copy of the bands new album Beautiful Explosion, which was recently released October 30th. Now after doing a little research I wasn't able to find a proper discography, so after reading a french article on Canoe on the band it seems that this album may actually be the bands first proper full length after 2001's Fetch, 2002's Cellular Phone and 2005's Sitis which were all EPs.

After a few listens of this album I can definitely say this album is easily among my favourites of 2007. The musicianship is definitely top notch and shows that the band have definitely been honing their craft quite deftly since we last heard from them. What I love about the album is how genuinely diverse the sound is. There are poppy sounding tracks(God's Waiting In Line, A Love Song For Everyone) mixed with atmospherically layered audio experiences(Meet Me In Hong Kong, Is That The End?), all the while keeping with the rock sensibilities the band is founded on. The title track of the album almost sounds in parts like it could have been part of a soundtrack for a campy 1960's spy movie. The last track on the album(The Other Life Of Squared Pixels) is an awesome 8 minute jam that seems to embody all the different flavours that had made up the album.

Patrick mentioned to me that the band might be leaving the friendly confines of Montreal and hitting the road to support the album, so I'm definitely hoping for a couple of Southern Ontario gigs. - modsuperstar.ca

The Montreal-based band Plajia was giving a concert at the Petit Campus last Saturday. For those of you who don’t know their music, you really should consider subscribing to this podcast or check the band’s website.

Their sound is often compared to Radiohead (Patrick Pleau’s voice is helping a lot) even though, according to my girlfriend, Thom Yorke and his friends can give up. Nevertheless, Plajia distinct itself on the progressive quality of their music, which is proiminent, and their «living room ambience» that they achieved by using lampshades.

I knew some of their songs for having consulted their MySpace last summer, and the tune Cecilia’s Children was my favorite, with its surf guitar during the bridge, reminding the one performed by Dick Dale in the song Misirlou (better known as the Pulp Ficiton movie theme). Hearing that song at the beginning of the show (it was the second song of the night) made me fall down my chair; maybe this song was so intense that I would have prefered it to be last? However, putting this up-beat song first was a good way to wake up a particulary calm crowd, like they weren’t able to appreciate the quality and potential of this somehow unknown band.

This wasn’t my first rock show. Though it was the first time that I could finally witness a live performance of exceptional quality, that surpass what was recorded by the very same band as part of their demo. The experience of Patrick Pleau, bassist Bryan Ortiz and drummer Jean-François Lefoll is undeniable, the band must have been practicing / performing these songs for so long, some of their recordings were made in 2004.

The balance of these partners in crime on stage is what put Plajia in a different field than your typical rock band since the three musicians all shares the spotlight. Patrick is of course singing, while playing guitar or piano at the same time. He also talks about the context of each songs. J-F. on his side jokes with the crowd and takes responsability of turning on the «living room» lights when necessary. Bryan is the only one that is able to move a little, he sometimes jumps up and down on every notes he hit, like his bass was pushing him backward. On top of that, a feminine touch, by Roxanne Gadoua, is added to the mix for a block of 3 or 4 songs near the end, allowing richer results in combining piano to the singing guitarist.

Yeah, I loved the show. The only negative things that I have observed doesn’t apply on the band (the musical mix before the show sounded really weird, the party behind us was quite loud during the opening act and the vast majority of the crowd didn’t seem to enjoy the show as much as they should have.

Plajia was informing us recently that they were in studio for the recording of some songs from their catalog, as well as new stuff. They will be producing their first real album independantly, with all the advantages and the disadvantages that this causes… Plajia : a balanced trio - Laurent Lasalle

The Montreal ambient indie rock band Plajia knows how to make beautiful and amazing music. It's hard to believe that it only takes three men to create such an intense and intricate wall of sound using more than twice as many instruments as band members. Plajia mastermind, Patrick Pleau, not only plays the guitar, piano, keyboards, harmonica, glockenspiel, and percussion and lends his vocals, he also arranged and co-produced the band's new album Beautiful Explosion, as well as co-designed the gorgeous album art.

Beautiful Explosion couldn't be more aptly titled, as it is nothing short of a explosion of beautiful noise. Piano and drum hooks harmonize beautifully with melodic guitar riffs and smooth vocals that betrays influences like Radiohead and Muse. The record begins with twinkling percussion and a beautiful piano part on "Dummy" before becoming fast and driving with a shredding guitar solo.

If the first track grabs your attention, the second which demands it. "God Waiting In Line" offers a jaunty and plucky guitar riff, creating an undeniably catchy song. Catchy is the name of the game on Beautiful Explosion as the first single and title track hooks the listener with its poppy energy and ever-increasing tempo. The upbeat nature gives way to a beautiful melancholy on "Crazy Lovely Happiness." A low piano riff begins the song and Pleau wails lyrics in a dull aching sort of way. He pounds on the keys as he repeatedly convinces himself "I will stay in love," emphasis on "will."

The piano intro on "A Love Song For Everyone" is reminiscent of Lightspeed Champion and opens into sweeping drums and twinkling percussion with a smooth melody. "Meet Me In Hong Kong" switches up Beautiful Explosion's tone by bringing in a space age-y synth part and a funky harmony between the piano and guitar with pounding staccato riffs while maintaining the smooth melodic quality found throughout the rest of the album. My only complaint with the album is one word used in "Meet Me On Hong Kong." Pleau sings, "Nobody told her that he was a freaking liar," and the use "freaking," while family-friendly, is slightly juvenile and detracts from the anger of the line. That other F word would have been far more appropriate.

Beautiful Explosion ends with "The Other Life of Squared Pixels," a very different song from the rest of the CD. A funky riffs picks up with synth-y keys creating a sound that's part surf rock, part "Secret Agent Man." Pleau sings with stressed yet whispered vocals over pounding music with a gritty rock edge. Tambourine comes in to drive the song over a steady beat before a melodic bridge with a warped synth part takes over. Twinkling classic rock keys and a classic rock guitar riffs pick up before the guitar becomes warped and spastic. While the rest of the album is nothing short of beautiful, "The Other Life of Squared Pixels" is an exciting change of pace and a perfect finish.

You can pick up a copy of Plajia's gorgeous Beautiful Explosion now on Orange Music. - PopWreck(oning) - May 2008