PLAID BRIXX

Most of us hope to use whatever we studied in college as a launching point to our careers. Plaid Brixx’s Chris Duggan is doing just that.

A graduate of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Duggan used his innate musical skills and school training to form Plaid Brixx. Fusing rock with synths, the band’s debut EP, ‘Chemistry,’ sounds like something out of the ’80s (the good parts) along with a little bit of ’90s punk thrown in.
You can listen to ‘Chemistry’ — an exclusive premiere — below:

The EP’s title track and first single is a quick-paced song about letting go of a past relationship, while ‘Heartbreaker’ takes a dark, electro approach to a cut about a femme fatale.
‘Chemistry’ wraps up with ‘Here I Go Again,’ which sounds like something that would be played at a robot carnival. Whimsical and mechanical, the song’s range and tone reflects Plaid Brixx’s at their best. - Diffuser.FM

Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
It’s Chris from Plaid Brixx here to answer your questions! We’ve been great, thanks! Hopefully you’re doing well too! Also, thanks for having us! We just played the Columbus Arts Festival last Saturday after releasing our first single, so we are actually feeling terrific!

So, how did you guys put this group together?
We originally played together in one band or another during high school, and the guys were the first to come to mind when I started to put Plaid Brixx together after moving back to Columbus, OH after college. They are excellent musicians – among the best I have ever had to the privilege to play music with. They are Mark Smith on drums, Cole Bradley on bass and Andrew Willard on keys, by the way.

Interesting fact: one of you guys have been leading bands and writing since the age of 10. Would you say all that time helped you grow as an artist or it wasn’t until a more ¨adult¨ you really started to grow as a musician?
Everything I’ve done since age ten has been for musical growth. When I was ten, my songs weren’t really very good, but the more you write, the better you get. I taught myself how to play Master Of Puppets by Metallica when I was 13 and then by 16 I started writing what I consider to be pretty decent music. My voice hadn’t even dropped yet at the time though, so I won’t let anyone hear the recordings I have from that time in my life.

Repetition and practice are the key to being good at something, so the more you practice your writing, your playing, or your performance, the better you’re going to be, no matter what age you are.

What’s the story behind the band´s name?
One day I decided it would be really cool to see a brick wall made out of plaid bricks, and then that kind of led to the different spelling – Plaid Brixx – and voila, we had a band name that sounded cool! We also wanted the name to be short enough for people to remember it easily.

I can hear some of bands like Pendulum in your music, do they play any role in the band´s sound or is it just a coincidence?
I hadn’t heard of Pendulum until you mentioned them just now, but I looked them up and I actually like them a lot now! Thanks! I guess it would be a coincidence if we sounded like them, but we really love the band Muse so perhaps that is common ground between Pendulum and Plaid Brixx

So there’sa lot of things happening in the band´s camp. Let´s talk about your latest single, Chemistry; can you talk to us more about the story behind the song?
Chemistry is about finding the positive aspects of a relationship after you’ve broken up with the other person. It’s about trying to justify all the time you spent dating someone by finding the good things that you took away from the relationship, like the experience and knowledge you gained and how much you grew as a person during that time.

Can you tell us more about the recording and writing process behind the album?
Well, we recorded most of it in my home studio. Some of the vocals were done at a larger commercial studio, but the majority of everything else was engineered, produced and recorded by me, though, producer Richard Barone co- produced the guitars, some of the arrangements and most of the vocals.

There are very few live instruments on the EP – most of the drums are programmed. On our full-length album that will be released in 2015, we plan to do a lot more live instrumentation.

How did you guys come up with the title? Did the track come up first? Why from all the songs why this one in particular?
The title definitely came second, because I write all of the chord progressions and melodies before I ever write any lyrics. I like to feel the energy that the song has before I try to write lyrics that are appropriate for it.

Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?
In general I find inspiration everywhere, but for this EP specifically most of the songs are inspired by various breakups I’ve experienced.

What was the goal you were seeking with this album and do you feel you accomplished?
Our goal with this record was to put our best foot forward, since it’s our first release, and make a really catchy record people can latch onto strongly. Whether, it’s the lyrics or the melodies or the beats that captures their attention, we want the music to stick with them.

Will you be hitting the road this year?
We will be playing regionally in the Midwest, but there are some opportunities to play in NYC and LA that hopefully pull through before the end of the year.

What´s happening next in Plaid Brixx´s world?
We’re currently polishing up new material for our next record! We have so many songs to choose from that it’s difficult to narrow them down!

Where can we find more about your music?
On our website, plaidbrixx.com or facebook.com/plaidbrixx - Vents Magazine

The Chemistry EP kicks off with its title track, haunting and amazing listeners from the get-go. There is a strong presence of the 80′s on this track, which shapes it into the addictive song it is. I found myself hitting the repeat button on this one, just because it gets in your head. It’s a great way to start the EP, and as a first impression, speaks volumes about Plaid Brixx.

Staying in time with the amped up energy of the first track, “Wanderlust” sounds like something Green Day could have written, but with a pop-rock edge to it. I love the trans of the 80′s. This honestly sounds like something an obscure character from a John Hughes film would be bopping their head to as they walk down crowded halls. The imagery expressed in each line is poetic in style, which further solidifies the band as a group of artists who stand out.

“Heartbreaker” may not be an original title, but Plaid Brixx definitely gave the title a new connotation. With what appears to be an allusion to “House of The Rising Sun” in the first verse, this song can draw in an array of listeners, as well as demonstrate the musical knowledge of the group. My frustration only mounts when I hear so much electronic around such fantastic vocals, but unlike many of today’s artists, this is tastefully done. I am intrigued at how this would come across live.

Like a surprising bout of comedy, “Hipster Queen” is the ultimate dig at everyone’s favorite stereotype: the Hipster. Granted, Plaid Brixx may be saying they love the girl in spite of her hipster status, but this comes off as a parody. Perhaps this will be one of the stereotype tracks to go down in history. “Back in my day, we had people who were called ‘hipsters.’ Just listen to this song, you’ll understand…”

Finishing off with “Here I Go Again,” Plaid Brixx show off an edge once again with rock undertones. There is pure attitude in this song, taking over, laced with sexual undertones. This is so ridiculously catchy, even against my better judgements. Feminists beware, you might be desiring pitchforks listening to this, but don’t freak. Just enjoy the music.

Overall, I loved the consistency of this EP. Plaid Brixx know what sound they’re aiming for, and they went for it. As my first introduction, I was surprised at how much I found myself enjoying each track. They have a new wave/rock sound that is irresistible. - Planet Stereo Live

Although Columbus, Ohio isn’t highly regarded as a music-oriented city, it’s no surprise that many popular artists are from the city; after all, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is only a few hours north. Spawning bands like the Black Keys, twenty one pilots, Beartooth, Andy Black, and WALK THE MOON, it’s no surprise that Ohio’s music scene is full of smaller bands on the rise. One such alt-pop band, Plaid Brixx, recently released a self-titled EP that has been called “some of [their] best work”.

The first track of the EP, Don’t Look Down, has the potential to be a popular summer song. While it’s not entirely a hype song, it’s put together well enough to be enjoyed by people who don’t know the song, or have never heard of the band. Chris Duggan, the lead singer, has a somewhat impressive voice, and sings with the tone quality of an experienced performer. The track ends with a fadeout, and the next song begins.

The second song, Since You Came, is similar to the first in complexity of sound, but the lyrics are slightly more melancholy. During the chorus, a harmony is added in, giving the vocals new life to what would otherwise be a repetitive song. The third track ends rather abruptly after a few beats at the end.

The third track, The Greener Side, is more upbeat than the smoother previous tracks, and features slightly higher vocals from Duggan. While Don’t Look Down and Since You Came are both catchy and complex, The Greener Side sounds more like a song that you would hear on the radio. The bridge quiets down before the instrumentals come back in stronger than before. The Greener Side tapers off with the gradual removal of each part of the melody.

The fourth track is entitled Renegades, and sounds like an anthem of not only the band, but their fanbase as well. The chorus proclaims, “we are the ones who change the game”, uniting countless listeners and making them believe they are a part of something bigger. It helps, of course, that the song is an easy listen, and contains impressive sound engineering for an indie band.

The fifth and final track, Away We Go, begins with deeper vocals, and is more intense than the other tracks on the EP. At the chorus, however, the song transforms into another synth-ridden number; it seems to be the trademark for the latest release from Plaid Brixx. The lyrics are both literal and metaphorical, proclaiming that “we will never give up the band”. - idientry