Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun

Sometimes clouds provide a sense of calm and ease, other times they portend impending thunderstorms.

With The new E.P. by Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun, it's hard to tell which direction the weather is going. While the band's name sounds ominous enough, the music frequently brings you to the edge of the storm before backing off instead, and providing some relief in its whirling guitars and washed out vocals.

Like Radiohead, the band is at their finest with equal parts paranoia and bliss. Opener 'their planes' lies at the brink of splitting in two before coming back to earth near the end of its epic turns. 'Brasil' keeps the ground shifting under you before a maddening march of pounding drums explodes all over the track's calamitous end, while closing track "Cut and Run" (streaming below) slowly builds and develops on an intricate web of guitars, vocals and gently drum hits.

The E.P. is full of these surprises, and rewards with a constant upwards lift toward the heavens. No need to be nervous after all. Sometimes it sounds good to be a little paranoid. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) - Deli Magazine NYC

Have you looked behind yourself recently? You never know... someone could be watching you. Sorry to worry you, but if the new LP from Jersey group Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun is any indication, we may have a lot to bre concerned about. From the voices in my head found at the end of new single 'The Hunter' (streaming below) to mysterious 'Tumors' found in one of my fave groove-based math rock tracks from the album 'Brasil,' listening to these guys music reveals a band in a very thoughtful and rather bleak mood. Compared with previous records, the band's latest delivers a focused bang on the head, caught between Interpol-like paranoia, and jazz-inflected grooves The Dismemberment Plan would have been proud. You can see the band live on 12.05 (tomorrow) at Pianos with other NYC acts Chamber Band, Julien Funk and We Run; in the meantime... check out their record on their Bandcamp - and make sure no one's following you until then. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets - Deli Magazine NYC

Have you looked behind yourself recently? You never know... someone could be watching you. Sorry to worry you, but if the new LP from Jersey group Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun is any indication, we may have a lot to bre concerned about. From the voices in my head found at the end of new single 'The Hunter' (streaming below) to mysterious 'Tumors' found in one of my fave groove-based math rock tracks from the album 'Brasil,' listening to these guys music reveals a band in a very thoughtful and rather bleak mood. Compared with previous records, the band's latest delivers a focused bang on the head, caught between Interpol-like paranoia, and jazz-inflected grooves The Dismemberment Plan would have been proud. You can see the band live on 12.05 (tomorrow) at Pianos with other NYC acts Chamber Band, Julien Funk and We Run; in the meantime... check out their record on their Bandcamp - and make sure no one's following you until then. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets - Deli Magazine NYC

Confession: if you have a cool name, I will listen to your band. I listened to White Dancer by Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun because, well, that’s a heck of a lot planes. Say it out loud. It just flows. See? Undeniably awesome.

Their music fits their name incredibly well, but not in the way I would expect. I expected some brooding, epic post-rock (perhaps only because the names Explosions in the Sky and Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun go together thematically). Instead, I found meticulously-crafted, calculated indie-rock.

The members of Planes have their sound down on this album. They start off with a mood cornerstone, like an arpeggiated guitar riff, a synthesizer, a piano line, or some combination of those. Then they build on it. A snappy, precise drummer adds the backbone of the sound. Buoyant bass lines bring a lot of energy to the otherwise very organized sound. The guitars add a layer of mood, not often strumming consistently. The vocals dispatch the lyrics with a disaffected, almost sinister intonation. When the band takes darker turns, the vocals truly get pointed, but throughout there’s an underlying disdain and sarcasm that comes through in the lyrics and/or the melodies.

The whole sound is incredibly tight. It’s hard to compare to, because none of the comparisons are exactly correct. “The Flood, The Dead, The Escape” brings to mind the Arcade Fire. “How I Learned to Love the Bomb” makes me think Muse. If Coldplay’s X&Y scrubbed the majority of its emotions, the synthesizer-laden interlocking parts would resemble White Dancer. If the epic aspirations and huge guitar washes of OK Computer were removed, the stark, cold sound left might be somewhat akin to Planes. Planes’ songwriting doesn’t match that of either Coldplay or Radiohead (because of the aforementioned parts that would have to be removed for the comparisons to work), but that’s the track that Planes is on. They aren’t making warm, fuzzy pop music; they’re making serious music. They mean it, and it shows.

So, if you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, you will find things to like in Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun. It’s not the most joyous music in the world, but it’s a meticulously crafted, very well-done release. They know their idiom, they have their niche, and they’re churning out the tunes the way they want to. Unique and enjoyable indie-rock. - Independent Clauses

Confession: if you have a cool name, I will listen to your band. I listened to White Dancer by Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun because, well, that’s a heck of a lot planes. Say it out loud. It just flows. See? Undeniably awesome.

Their music fits their name incredibly well, but not in the way I would expect. I expected some brooding, epic post-rock (perhaps only because the names Explosions in the Sky and Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun go together thematically). Instead, I found meticulously-crafted, calculated indie-rock.

The members of Planes have their sound down on this album. They start off with a mood cornerstone, like an arpeggiated guitar riff, a synthesizer, a piano line, or some combination of those. Then they build on it. A snappy, precise drummer adds the backbone of the sound. Buoyant bass lines bring a lot of energy to the otherwise very organized sound. The guitars add a layer of mood, not often strumming consistently. The vocals dispatch the lyrics with a disaffected, almost sinister intonation. When the band takes darker turns, the vocals truly get pointed, but throughout there’s an underlying disdain and sarcasm that comes through in the lyrics and/or the melodies.

The whole sound is incredibly tight. It’s hard to compare to, because none of the comparisons are exactly correct. “The Flood, The Dead, The Escape” brings to mind the Arcade Fire. “How I Learned to Love the Bomb” makes me think Muse. If Coldplay’s X&Y scrubbed the majority of its emotions, the synthesizer-laden interlocking parts would resemble White Dancer. If the epic aspirations and huge guitar washes of OK Computer were removed, the stark, cold sound left might be somewhat akin to Planes. Planes’ songwriting doesn’t match that of either Coldplay or Radiohead (because of the aforementioned parts that would have to be removed for the comparisons to work), but that’s the track that Planes is on. They aren’t making warm, fuzzy pop music; they’re making serious music. They mean it, and it shows.

So, if you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, you will find things to like in Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun. It’s not the most joyous music in the world, but it’s a meticulously crafted, very well-done release. They know their idiom, they have their niche, and they’re churning out the tunes the way they want to. Unique and enjoyable indie-rock. - Independent Clauses

Formed in 2005, this New Jersey band comprises five musicians who each bring their own very different influences and style to the bands overall sound. The result is simply intriguing.

Like their name suggests, Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun also delve into somewhat darker territory and deliver songs about struggle, fear, and confusion. However, there are also some altogether more uplifting tracks that explore the other end of the emotional spectrum such as hope, endearment, devotion.

Pressing play on their album White Dancer sets off a journey that is partly Elbow, a little Editors, a hint of Arcade Fire, a touch of Muse, and a slight nod to the inevitable Radiohead. All of this is tightly knitted together with a host of other things just below the surface that helps create a sound that is very much their own.

The Jersey City five-some comprises of singer, guitarist, and keyboard player Victor Fernandes, the bass of Wayne Green, guitarist Craig Monaco, and the guitars and keys of Mike Nastri. It is all underpinned by the highly impressive and inventive drumming of John Falcone.

Their sound is, as ever, best explained on the band's promotional information which says, “when listening to each song, interwoven in the music, you may hear guitars and keyboards influenced by rhythms of Frank Zappa, the dark harmonies of Wayne Shorter, the beauty of Sigur Ros, the pensive feel of Broken Social Scene or the escaping mood of Elbow.”

It adds, “there are drum beats that are influenced by the poly-rhythmic beats of Bill Bruford or the crisp tightness of Steward Copelend, vocal styles with melancholic emotion of Portuguese Fado and bass lines influenced by the eerie atmospheric sounds of David Lynch and surreal visuals of Terry Gilliam.”

Intrigued? I was. The eight songs that make up White Dancer kick off with the title track, a clever amalgam of everything promised above. With so much going on within this album, it may take a couple of plays before it starts to get under your skin. Sure enough, it does and “Boardwalk Splinters” confirms your hopes and expectations.

“The Flood, The Dead, The Escape”, a song of hope, builds slowly, becoming compulsively uplifting. “I’m finally outta here, thank God” sings Fernandes over chiming guitar, and pounding drum. From that moment I was 'in the album' only to become momentarily thrown by the sidestepping upbeat start of “Teflon Kids.”

“Americana” arrives with simple keys over a drum-speak rhythm and unfolds into another uplifting but constantly shifting, and cunningly crafted soundscape. This is a band brimming with imagination and ideas some of which are, at face value, almost in conflict with each other. Yet it works, and it works very well indeed.

They go dark again on the atmospheric “Night Tremors” a track with layers of ever shifting shades. A twisting “Tumours” and the curiously entitled “How I Learned To Love The Bomb” ensure that there is no way you can double guess what is coming next. The latter, a gentle easing and shifting down, fittingly ends the album. However, as it dramatically slams into life you are jolted back into the now with a sense of the unexpected.

Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun is as intriguing as their name. There may not be any sitting on the fence with this but allow it get grow and it will creep under your skin in a way that will have you delving further into it with every play.
- BLOGCRITICS.ORG

Formed in 2005, this New Jersey band comprises five musicians who each bring their own very different influences and style to the bands overall sound. The result is simply intriguing.

Like their name suggests, Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun also delve into somewhat darker territory and deliver songs about struggle, fear, and confusion. However, there are also some altogether more uplifting tracks that explore the other end of the emotional spectrum such as hope, endearment, devotion.

Pressing play on their album White Dancer sets off a journey that is partly Elbow, a little Editors, a hint of Arcade Fire, a touch of Muse, and a slight nod to the inevitable Radiohead. All of this is tightly knitted together with a host of other things just below the surface that helps create a sound that is very much their own.

The Jersey City five-some comprises of singer, guitarist, and keyboard player Victor Fernandes, the bass of Wayne Green, guitarist Craig Monaco, and the guitars and keys of Mike Nastri. It is all underpinned by the highly impressive and inventive drumming of John Falcone.

Their sound is, as ever, best explained on the band's promotional information which says, “when listening to each song, interwoven in the music, you may hear guitars and keyboards influenced by rhythms of Frank Zappa, the dark harmonies of Wayne Shorter, the beauty of Sigur Ros, the pensive feel of Broken Social Scene or the escaping mood of Elbow.”

It adds, “there are drum beats that are influenced by the poly-rhythmic beats of Bill Bruford or the crisp tightness of Steward Copelend, vocal styles with melancholic emotion of Portuguese Fado and bass lines influenced by the eerie atmospheric sounds of David Lynch and surreal visuals of Terry Gilliam.”

Intrigued? I was. The eight songs that make up White Dancer kick off with the title track, a clever amalgam of everything promised above. With so much going on within this album, it may take a couple of plays before it starts to get under your skin. Sure enough, it does and “Boardwalk Splinters” confirms your hopes and expectations.

“The Flood, The Dead, The Escape”, a song of hope, builds slowly, becoming compulsively uplifting. “I’m finally outta here, thank God” sings Fernandes over chiming guitar, and pounding drum. From that moment I was 'in the album' only to become momentarily thrown by the sidestepping upbeat start of “Teflon Kids.”

“Americana” arrives with simple keys over a drum-speak rhythm and unfolds into another uplifting but constantly shifting, and cunningly crafted soundscape. This is a band brimming with imagination and ideas some of which are, at face value, almost in conflict with each other. Yet it works, and it works very well indeed.

They go dark again on the atmospheric “Night Tremors” a track with layers of ever shifting shades. A twisting “Tumours” and the curiously entitled “How I Learned To Love The Bomb” ensure that there is no way you can double guess what is coming next. The latter, a gentle easing and shifting down, fittingly ends the album. However, as it dramatically slams into life you are jolted back into the now with a sense of the unexpected.

Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun is as intriguing as their name. There may not be any sitting on the fence with this but allow it get grow and it will creep under your skin in a way that will have you delving further into it with every play.
- BLOGCRITICS.ORG

Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun — you’re thinking, “with a name like that, they must be emo……………..no? well then they have to be screamo…..”
This is the part of the article that I do my best to sum up the sound of TPWBOTS, and fall excruciatingly short…….

They claim to be from Jersey City, New Jersey… But my theory is that they derive from a secret island about 550 miles east of there, an island that was inhabited by brilliant pop artists from England, Ireland, and Scotland nearly 100 years ago, and a group of American women stumbled upon the island……and they all started making babies….

THIS, dear readers, tells you absolutely nothing! The fact of the matter is that Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun is beyond impressive on their debut album ‘White Dancer’! After listening to the first 5 tracks I expected to check out their myspace page and see that it had 800,000+ profile views and 150,000 friends. Not the case with these guys, but something’s bound to happen soon.

With an upbeat, yet mildly dry rock sound reminiscent of Doves or Starsailor, they are certainly apt to meet the needs of road trips, parties, and soundtracks! Dare I say ‘White Dancer’ is incredible…? Buy it at cdbaby, on iTunes, or Insound. And wouldn’t you know it, our very first nominee for LoveSound’s ‘Album Of The Year’ so far in 2010!

*NOMINEE FOR LOVESOUND ALBUM OF THE YEAR*
- Lovesound Magazine

“Don’t give up! We already gave up , just wish us well and we’ll wish you well” is the last set of lyrics you hear off of “How I Learned To Love The Bomb”, the closer to Their Planes Block Out The Sun’s debut LP White Dancer. This track closes in such an unsettling matter that it leaves the listener wondering what is going to be coming next from the musical pipelines of Their Planes. It left me personally on the edge of my seat to see where the band would go next in terms of a follow up to White Dancer. While their next EP Brasil is shorter in terms of length, it certainly does not sacrifice any musical integrity.
Brasil opens with the driving track “Cut and Run”. This track does not open up the album in a fiery way. Instead, the overall paranoid driving feel that “Cut and Run” provides the material for the album. This actually benefits this LP more than hurts it because the overall feeling you get from listening to Their Planes is a sense of wanting to always look over your shoulder. The first half of the song has a repeating lyric set that I really like and I feel like it adds to the paranoid feeling: “this is a warning sign”. Suddenly, half-way through the track when you hear the lyrics “I’ll take you by the hand”, the mood of the song begins the battle between paranoia and joy. The lyrical direction takes a total different direction in which the repeating lyrics “this is a warning sign” gets replaced by “you never looked so bright”. The song ends with those very lyrics trailing off into the rest of the album.
The track named after the band “Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun” stands out as my own personal highlight from Brasil. The song starts with a guitar quietly starting by flying off with a small riff that repeats and a bass that smooths out the feeling of the track that transforms it into an almost nostalgic feeling. Then, Victor Fernandes’ fluid vocals come in with the first lyrics being the name of their band “Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun”. The thing that sells the track for me is when the lyrics include the name of the band’s bassists Wayne Green. With this and the lyrics as a whole, this track leaves a taste that Their Planes is looking back on how their lives have progressed since childhood. The other aspect that makes this track so special for me is that the song structure is phenomenal. The whole song starts with a slow feeling that is at its core rather emotional but it is a contained emotion. Then around the three and half minute mark the song starts to take off when you hear the lyrics “See you at the meltdown”. However, the song stays contained avoiding the cliché explosive sound. One aspect of modern music that I appreciate that others seem to hate is the art of restraint. Anyone can write a song that explodes and takes off like a cheetah. It is when you find someone writing a song that seems to be in control of itself that you find true musicianship.
Brasil closes with the album title track. Once described as what the band thought the country Brazil sounded like, the song opens up with an array of fascinating rhythms. The opening lyrics to Brasil set the tone for the closer: “Gone away on a ship heading for a place to find ourselves away from the cold souls we left behind at the market place”. As somewhat of a sequel to “Americana” off of their previous LP, this songs paints the picture of heading out into the unknown as a way to place oneself in a much better environment away from the those people who are only concerned with their money at the end of the day. The song does a stellar job at closing Brasil with a percussion finale of poly-rhythms and vocal track of children chanting “Never give up”. It wraps up the whole EP on a rather positive and inspiring note as compared to how White Dancer.
Overall, Brasil left me feeling great about Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun. I cannot generally complain about too much on this EP. The only thing I can say is that the first few tracks sound like recycled material from White Dancer. However since the majority of the album displays the band’s exploration of different sounds, that really did not affect my opinion about the EP very much.

- Uneven Noise

“Don’t give up! We already gave up , just wish us well and we’ll wish you well” is the last set of lyrics you hear off of “How I Learned To Love The Bomb”, the closer to Their Planes Block Out The Sun’s debut LP White Dancer. This track closes in such an unsettling matter that it leaves the listener wondering what is going to be coming next from the musical pipelines of Their Planes. It left me personally on the edge of my seat to see where the band would go next in terms of a follow up to White Dancer. While their next EP Brasil is shorter in terms of length, it certainly does not sacrifice any musical integrity.
Brasil opens with the driving track “Cut and Run”. This track does not open up the album in a fiery way. Instead, the overall paranoid driving feel that “Cut and Run” provides the material for the album. This actually benefits this LP more than hurts it because the overall feeling you get from listening to Their Planes is a sense of wanting to always look over your shoulder. The first half of the song has a repeating lyric set that I really like and I feel like it adds to the paranoid feeling: “this is a warning sign”. Suddenly, half-way through the track when you hear the lyrics “I’ll take you by the hand”, the mood of the song begins the battle between paranoia and joy. The lyrical direction takes a total different direction in which the repeating lyrics “this is a warning sign” gets replaced by “you never looked so bright”. The song ends with those very lyrics trailing off into the rest of the album.
The track named after the band “Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun” stands out as my own personal highlight from Brasil. The song starts with a guitar quietly starting by flying off with a small riff that repeats and a bass that smooths out the feeling of the track that transforms it into an almost nostalgic feeling. Then, Victor Fernandes’ fluid vocals come in with the first lyrics being the name of their band “Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun”. The thing that sells the track for me is when the lyrics include the name of the band’s bassists Wayne Green. With this and the lyrics as a whole, this track leaves a taste that Their Planes is looking back on how their lives have progressed since childhood. The other aspect that makes this track so special for me is that the song structure is phenomenal. The whole song starts with a slow feeling that is at its core rather emotional but it is a contained emotion. Then around the three and half minute mark the song starts to take off when you hear the lyrics “See you at the meltdown”. However, the song stays contained avoiding the cliché explosive sound. One aspect of modern music that I appreciate that others seem to hate is the art of restraint. Anyone can write a song that explodes and takes off like a cheetah. It is when you find someone writing a song that seems to be in control of itself that you find true musicianship.
Brasil closes with the album title track. Once described as what the band thought the country Brazil sounded like, the song opens up with an array of fascinating rhythms. The opening lyrics to Brasil set the tone for the closer: “Gone away on a ship heading for a place to find ourselves away from the cold souls we left behind at the market place”. As somewhat of a sequel to “Americana” off of their previous LP, this songs paints the picture of heading out into the unknown as a way to place oneself in a much better environment away from the those people who are only concerned with their money at the end of the day. The song does a stellar job at closing Brasil with a percussion finale of poly-rhythms and vocal track of children chanting “Never give up”. It wraps up the whole EP on a rather positive and inspiring note as compared to how White Dancer.
Overall, Brasil left me feeling great about Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun. I cannot generally complain about too much on this EP. The only thing I can say is that the first few tracks sound like recycled material from White Dancer. However since the majority of the album displays the band’s exploration of different sounds, that really did not affect my opinion about the EP very much.

- Uneven Noise

New Jersey’s Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun has recently released their sophomore EP called “Brasil” and it’s a great batch of well written indie rock songs. If you took Interpol, Joy Division, The Smiths, and Radiohead and mixed them in a big pot, you will get this complex and equally as marvelous type of music. If you are a fan of original indie rock, you have to listen to this release from this band.
During the opening track “Cut and Run”, the guitars are blazing in a cool breeze of distortion as the drums dance in a tribal and natural form. Thus it creates a hypnotizing result.. The bassist ties them together and makes them flow like a strong current. Victor Fernandes speaks in a dark yet comforting tone recalling the works of Thom Yorke, Morrissey, and Paul Banks. He sings in an emotionally fierce force that has a tendency of crawling into the skin of your heart and soothes the heartbeats. They are spurts of euphoria as well that your body will want to move and your lips want to sing along. You will experience this throughout the album. Just listen to “The Hunter” and you will understand the overall power of this band. The guitar riffs are bright and the singer contrasts it with a mellow deep voice. The drummer stays in a variegated steady beat following the steps of the bass. There are instances where the guitar is embellished in an effect that reminiscing admirable memories. It echoes like star light. The band also steps into dark territories.
“Ruby” is a short track that walks in a slow pace of an acoustic guitar and a passionate vocal melody. There are shadowy sounds of percussion giving the song a spacious experience. On this occasion, you hear a band in their most frail state of creativity. “Youth and Angles” shares the similar darkness with erratic shades of sunshine. There is early Interpol influence laced in the vocals and guitars. The synth adds colors that travel in the back of everything. “Their Planes” is an electronic inspired track that sounds both mechanical and humane. The keys let out a quiet roar of notes underneath the instrumentation. It almost feels as they are waves hitting a digital shore. The guitars swaying are the organic part and stays in low light. The drummer doesn’t make appearance until the end of the track with a louder guitar and swooning vocals.
The title track is the most unique sounding of the bunch. Also, it’s the finale of the EP. The guitarist blends distortion with mellowness. There is a repeating guitar part that paints the music in a dreamy vibration. As the tracks end, it entirely gets taken over by an indigenous set of percussion that are playing so loud and all at once that it transforms into a landslide of noise. This brings the album to an end.
Their Planes… will become famous sooner or later. They have found a formula of great and exciting songwriting. Frankly, I can’t wait until they release a full length album. They have the ability to succeed in it. Don’t wait any longer, go to their Bandcamp and stream the EP. This band has recorded and produced the whole album on their own; it’s incredible what they had accomplished. They are keeping music fresh and alive.
Best track: The Hunter
- Musical Junkie

New Jersey’s Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun has recently released their sophomore EP called “Brasil” and it’s a great batch of well written indie rock songs. If you took Interpol, Joy Division, The Smiths, and Radiohead and mixed them in a big pot, you will get this complex and equally as marvelous type of music. If you are a fan of original indie rock, you have to listen to this release from this band.
During the opening track “Cut and Run”, the guitars are blazing in a cool breeze of distortion as the drums dance in a tribal and natural form. Thus it creates a hypnotizing result.. The bassist ties them together and makes them flow like a strong current. Victor Fernandes speaks in a dark yet comforting tone recalling the works of Thom Yorke, Morrissey, and Paul Banks. He sings in an emotionally fierce force that has a tendency of crawling into the skin of your heart and soothes the heartbeats. They are spurts of euphoria as well that your body will want to move and your lips want to sing along. You will experience this throughout the album. Just listen to “The Hunter” and you will understand the overall power of this band. The guitar riffs are bright and the singer contrasts it with a mellow deep voice. The drummer stays in a variegated steady beat following the steps of the bass. There are instances where the guitar is embellished in an effect that reminiscing admirable memories. It echoes like star light. The band also steps into dark territories.
“Ruby” is a short track that walks in a slow pace of an acoustic guitar and a passionate vocal melody. There are shadowy sounds of percussion giving the song a spacious experience. On this occasion, you hear a band in their most frail state of creativity. “Youth and Angles” shares the similar darkness with erratic shades of sunshine. There is early Interpol influence laced in the vocals and guitars. The synth adds colors that travel in the back of everything. “Their Planes” is an electronic inspired track that sounds both mechanical and humane. The keys let out a quiet roar of notes underneath the instrumentation. It almost feels as they are waves hitting a digital shore. The guitars swaying are the organic part and stays in low light. The drummer doesn’t make appearance until the end of the track with a louder guitar and swooning vocals.
The title track is the most unique sounding of the bunch. Also, it’s the finale of the EP. The guitarist blends distortion with mellowness. There is a repeating guitar part that paints the music in a dreamy vibration. As the tracks end, it entirely gets taken over by an indigenous set of percussion that are playing so loud and all at once that it transforms into a landslide of noise. This brings the album to an end.
Their Planes… will become famous sooner or later. They have found a formula of great and exciting songwriting. Frankly, I can’t wait until they release a full length album. They have the ability to succeed in it. Don’t wait any longer, go to their Bandcamp and stream the EP. This band has recorded and produced the whole album on their own; it’s incredible what they had accomplished. They are keeping music fresh and alive.
Best track: The Hunter
- Musical Junkie

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the New Jersey five piece art rock band: Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun. Now when most people think music from New Jersey, the bands that come to mind are Bon Jovi, The Misfits, and My Chemical Romance. Their Planes does not follow in the footsteps of those bands. Instead, they draw their influences from bands such as Radiohead, The Smiths, and Joy Division. The idea of a New Jersey art rock band is similar to the idea of Ke$ha trying to make a punk rock album: it just does not fit. So does the concept of a New Jersey art rock band work with Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun? Let us take a look at what their debut LP White Dancer offers to their credibility.
White Dancer opens up with the sounds of clapping, drums, and a simple guitar riff that start off the song “Boardwalk Splinters”. The song itself lacks the proper substance to open up an album. It recycles the opening material until the song’s climax breaks up the tiresome material. “Boardwalk Splinters” fills the listener with some rather intense flowery language including “don’t you lecture me, even wounded birds can float”. While ornate lyrics are nice and serve as a measure of a lyricist’s intelligence, the important thing that lacks in “Boardwalk Splinters” is the connection of the lyrics in a manner that projects a story or message. “Boardwalk Splinters” stands a something rather pretentiousness with its rather simplified music content and overly complex lyrics. It’s like trying to drive a car past its maximum speed; You just end up destroying the vehicle in the process.
That being said, despite the opening song, the rest of the album turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Their Planes tries to emulate the essence of the human soul and manage to do this in a rather original and refreshing manner. Take for example the track “Teflon Kids”. The feel of this song speaks indie pop but the lyrical intensity at times projects and sells itself as emo rock (and no, not like how some consider Fall Out Boy to be emo). The song details going out and living life despite whether you will succeed or fail at it. Some of my favorite lyrics of this track are actually the opening lyrics : “my cause? You got me, don’t know what it is man. In my heart it’s just there”. I believe these lyrics rival the lyrics of “Some Nights” by fun.: “What do I stand for? Most nights I don’t know anymore”. I enjoy how Their Planes uses “Teflon Kids” to approach the concept of not being sure of what one stands for anymore. Instead of just lying there confused, the song inspires the listener to be content with not knowing what they strive for and to just fight the good fight.
White Dancer closes with the rather explosive track (pun fully intended) “How I Learned To Love The Bomb”. The song begins with just a piano and vocals. Then, true to the nature of the title, it explodes with sound around the last fourth of the track. “How I Learned…” makes me imagine a post-apocalyptic world where the nuclear war just did its damage to the world. The song’s message incarnates and reveals the tone of modern day fears. The opening lyrics turn out to be the most haunting set of lyrics I have heard in recent memory: “a safe place to sleep we ask to lay our bones”. It is the eerie and meaningful way the words are sung that makes the listener just develop some anxiety. As a closer to White Dancer, “How I Learned…” does a fantastic job in drawing a close to a rather great album.
All in all, White Dancer exhibits some great material coming from an art rock band that makes its home in New Jersey. Coming into the album, I expected to hear a rather okay album coming from an upcoming indie rock band. Instead, I got a stellar album that draws inspiration from the musical veins of great bands like Radiohead. With their forthcoming album Brasil coming out soon, I eagerly await to see what Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun will deliver to my ear holes in the upcoming future.
- Uneven Noise

Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun is a very appropriate name for this indie rock band, which has dense melancholic songs and appears one way yet is quite another. This five-man Jersey band features a blend of styles, including jazz, electronic, and rock’n’roll, but still holds steady and true throughout their songs. Their first album, White Dancer, was released in July 2009 and their second album, Brasil, was recently released at the end of 2012. They have 3 upcoming shows in the next month in New York and New Jersey.
Many of Their Planes’ songs leave me in a trance, musing over the consequences of life, thoughts that are potentially tragic and traumatic and leave you invariably feeling nostalgic. Lost in thought, my mind meandering down the trails of what was, what is, and what will be, I find the music simultaneously engaging and disengaging. I suddenly realize that these thoughts seem fitting to the name of the band, which seems foreboding but also calls to mind (for me at least) the Cold War, thus simultaneously linking both the future and past in one swift (though not brief) line. In some ways I wonder if the title of the band is a way of preparing you for the experience of listening to their music.
In conjunction with the complexity of their music, their name is not as simple and bleak as it seems. According to their Facebook page,

The idea behind the name as the band has collectively put it is that we’re all like planes flying our own course and if we eclipse each other’s light, taking full attention even just for a moment, then all of it is worth it.

I can’t seem to make heads or tails of that, but I like it just the same. The band is putting a positive spin on the name, showing that it’s not all dreariness. You have to commend apocalyptic optimists; that’s no easy role to take on.
As I’ve mentioned, the music to this band is complex (however, do not be intimidated; it’s still easy to listen to and very pretty on the ears!). The band features rock’n’roll guitarist Craig Monaco, jazz percussionists John Falcone and Wayne Green, and classically trained keyboardist Paul Falcone. Vocals and lyrics are backed by the powerful voice of Victor Fernandez, whose melodic yet lugubrious tones draw you in deeper to the song. While in some cases such a variety of backgrounds could result in discontinuities in the music, here the woven fabric seems to hold strong:
From day one, each member brought to the table their own passion and experience, musically and personally, which combined, as in a finished puzzle, creates the singular entity which is Their Planes. They originally bonded over their shared desire to make complex, engaging, out of the ordinary music, which they themselves wanted to hear.
The band has recently released a new single “The Hunter” (available for free download on their Soundcloud) from their second album Brasil which was released in December. I find “The Hunter” to be both upbeat and somehow sad. The fast drum line and plentiful cymbals, as well as replicated human clap sounds keeps the song very positive. However, Fernandez’s voice is, as usual, powerful yedepressing (though not necessarily in a bad way). I listened closely to the lyrics and found them to be both silly and serious, optimistic and sad. The song is about (you guessed it!) a girl, but it’s neither the overly romantic take on love nor the bitter resentment of a broken heart. Lyrics such as, “I just want to see her jump for joy like she used to/ And wrap herself up in my silly hands,” reflects the complicated sentiments that one feels when in love: nostalgia for “the good old days,” sadness over changes, protective urges, optimism, and goofiness.
In Their Planes’ preview of the new releases, they commented,

The band hopes their music will awake feelings of rediscovery and joy in their audience—and, in turn, give way to personal narratives like in the single ‘The Hunter’, a song about holding on to your happy moments while struggling with adversity, yet at the same time, finding hope in it.
I think, boys, you may have achieved your goal.

- sensible reason

Their Planes Will Block Out the Sun is a very appropriate name for this indie rock band, which has dense melancholic songs and appears one way yet is quite another. This five-man Jersey band features a blend of styles, including jazz, electronic, and rock’n’roll, but still holds steady and true throughout their songs. Their first album, White Dancer, was released in July 2009 and their second album, Brasil, was recently released at the end of 2012. They have 3 upcoming shows in the next month in New York and New Jersey.
Many of Their Planes’ songs leave me in a trance, musing over the consequences of life, thoughts that are potentially tragic and traumatic and leave you invariably feeling nostalgic. Lost in thought, my mind meandering down the trails of what was, what is, and what will be, I find the music simultaneously engaging and disengaging. I suddenly realize that these thoughts seem fitting to the name of the band, which seems foreboding but also calls to mind (for me at least) the Cold War, thus simultaneously linking both the future and past in one swift (though not brief) line. In some ways I wonder if the title of the band is a way of preparing you for the experience of listening to their music.
In conjunction with the complexity of their music, their name is not as simple and bleak as it seems. According to their Facebook page,

The idea behind the name as the band has collectively put it is that we’re all like planes flying our own course and if we eclipse each other’s light, taking full attention even just for a moment, then all of it is worth it.

I can’t seem to make heads or tails of that, but I like it just the same. The band is putting a positive spin on the name, showing that it’s not all dreariness. You have to commend apocalyptic optimists; that’s no easy role to take on.
As I’ve mentioned, the music to this band is complex (however, do not be intimidated; it’s still easy to listen to and very pretty on the ears!). The band features rock’n’roll guitarist Craig Monaco, jazz percussionists John Falcone and Wayne Green, and classically trained keyboardist Paul Falcone. Vocals and lyrics are backed by the powerful voice of Victor Fernandez, whose melodic yet lugubrious tones draw you in deeper to the song. While in some cases such a variety of backgrounds could result in discontinuities in the music, here the woven fabric seems to hold strong:
From day one, each member brought to the table their own passion and experience, musically and personally, which combined, as in a finished puzzle, creates the singular entity which is Their Planes. They originally bonded over their shared desire to make complex, engaging, out of the ordinary music, which they themselves wanted to hear.
The band has recently released a new single “The Hunter” (available for free download on their Soundcloud) from their second album Brasil which was released in December. I find “The Hunter” to be both upbeat and somehow sad. The fast drum line and plentiful cymbals, as well as replicated human clap sounds keeps the song very positive. However, Fernandez’s voice is, as usual, powerful yedepressing (though not necessarily in a bad way). I listened closely to the lyrics and found them to be both silly and serious, optimistic and sad. The song is about (you guessed it!) a girl, but it’s neither the overly romantic take on love nor the bitter resentment of a broken heart. Lyrics such as, “I just want to see her jump for joy like she used to/ And wrap herself up in my silly hands,” reflects the complicated sentiments that one feels when in love: nostalgia for “the good old days,” sadness over changes, protective urges, optimism, and goofiness.
In Their Planes’ preview of the new releases, they commented,

The band hopes their music will awake feelings of rediscovery and joy in their audience—and, in turn, give way to personal narratives like in the single ‘The Hunter’, a song about holding on to your happy moments while struggling with adversity, yet at the same time, finding hope in it.
I think, boys, you may have achieved your goal.

- sensible reason

With the release of their sophomore EP, Brasil, Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun showcase their infectious indie rock vibe. Fans of Talking Heads, Joy Division and The Smiths will appreciate the soft yet complex sound of Brasil and Victor Fernandes’ deep vocals that draw almost an immediate comparison to Morrissey. With six tracks in 22 minutes, each song demands attention and has its own personal story to tell. In “Brasil,” the narrative about escaping a situation to find something better resonates until it explodes with a string of exotic beats toward the end, making it stand out amongst the rest of the album.

Personal struggles are highlighted throughout Brasil, touching on topics of suicide, persecution and loved ones becoming ill. However, they don’t feel like sad sob stories; instead, it’s turned into something beautiful and somewhat relatable. With songs lasting between four and six minutes, they’re packed with various elements that make each one distinctive. Opening with “Cut And Run,” the intro builds by adding on each individual instrument and sets the tone for a creepy yet likeable experience. I personally favored “Their Planes” because of its dark qualities and rapid guitar picking, while “Youth And Angels” proved to be more upbeat by incorporating tambourines and smooth background vocals.

Brasil is a skillfully multifaceted album and I anticipate hearing a full-length from Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun.

In A Word: Intricate

—by Nicole Calascibetta, July 31, 2013


- Aquarian

With the release of their sophomore EP, Brasil, Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun showcase their infectious indie rock vibe. Fans of Talking Heads, Joy Division and The Smiths will appreciate the soft yet complex sound of Brasil and Victor Fernandes’ deep vocals that draw almost an immediate comparison to Morrissey. With six tracks in 22 minutes, each song demands attention and has its own personal story to tell. In “Brasil,” the narrative about escaping a situation to find something better resonates until it explodes with a string of exotic beats toward the end, making it stand out amongst the rest of the album.

Personal struggles are highlighted throughout Brasil, touching on topics of suicide, persecution and loved ones becoming ill. However, they don’t feel like sad sob stories; instead, it’s turned into something beautiful and somewhat relatable. With songs lasting between four and six minutes, they’re packed with various elements that make each one distinctive. Opening with “Cut And Run,” the intro builds by adding on each individual instrument and sets the tone for a creepy yet likeable experience. I personally favored “Their Planes” because of its dark qualities and rapid guitar picking, while “Youth And Angels” proved to be more upbeat by incorporating tambourines and smooth background vocals.

Brasil is a skillfully multifaceted album and I anticipate hearing a full-length from Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun.

In A Word: Intricate

—by Nicole Calascibetta, July 31, 2013


- Aquarian

First this week are New Jersey band Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun. The band's free EP (available from their bandcamp) is decidedly indie, with slightly darker elements also touched upon. The influences are quite apparent over the four tracks. 'Brasil' is heavily indebted to Radiohead, while highlight 'youth and angels' could easily be mistaken for a more solemn Interpol cut. It's an impressive EP, combining gloomy lyrical tendencies with precise production and brooding sometimes Jazz-like instrumentation. Entirely listenable and largely enjoyable.
- Sound Influx