According to the press release I got, ‘Splinter’ from Plastic Cowboys deals with issues such as mental health, escapism, and hangovers. Okay, you have my attention Plastic Cowboys! Let’s dig into this quick EP!
“Those Damn Lights” kicks off this EP with an infectious bassline. Within no time, the entire band jumps in with an indie-rock sound that took over my house and my heart within a second. This is a powerful opening track and it absolutely caught my attention. I like bands that waste no time laying out their distinct sound and style on an opening track and I have a feeling that exactly what Plastic Cowboys are doing with this opener. I was a little surprised as the chorus hit an almost aggressive level. Trust me, it was a good surprise but a surprise nonetheless. Although it’s clear that Plastic Cowboys is a trio that has settled themselves nicely into the indie rock world, there’s an edge that sets these guys apart and I love it.
Second up on this EP is “Storehouse” which changes the aggression heard in “Those Damn Lights” into a more infectious and dancey beat. This was an instant favorite track of mine. Although I loved “Those Damn Lights”, I just loved this new infectious vibe of this track. There’s an undeniable sense of power in Plastic Cowboys’ sound and even though this track isn’t as in your face as the previous one was, there’s still no denying that power. There’s almost a 90’s feeling that comes with a little guitar part around the minute and a half mark that I could listen to over and over again.
I’ve now had two tracks titled “Molly” in my reviews over the past two days and honestly, this was my favorite between the two of them. Still just as infectious as “Storehouse”, there’s a sound that feels a bit more reminiscent of The Libertines that comes to the spotlight. Thankfully, I’m a huge The Libertines fan so this worked out well. Although there seems to be a retro feeling throughout this track, it doesn’t feel dated or recycled. Much like “Those Damn Lights”, the lead-up to the chorus of this track hits hard. It’s full of emotion and aggression before allowing the song to fall back into the typical indie-rock vein of things. Again, I wasn’t expecting this vibe to come from this more steady track but I loved it. Sadly, that love and unexpected turn of events in the track made this song fly by and, before I knew it, the final track on this EP had taken over my house.
“None Like You” definitely shows a softer side of Plastic Cowboys while staying anthemic and raw. The drums that kick off this song are worthy of an arena with their perfect tone and steady beat. Much like the previous tracks, although this song can easily be considered just indie-rock, Plastic Cowboys put their own twist on it that kept me on my toes throughout the track. I always felt like I knew where this track was going to go but this band had other things in mind. There’s an undeniable build-up throughout this track that never quite makes it to the point where I thought it would or could go but I loved that surprise. Instead of hitting me with another raw and heavy-hitting chorus like in “Those Damn Lights”, Plastic Cowboys gave me a wailing guitar part. Again, not what I was expecting but what a great element to throw in there just to prove that this band will not be like every other band in their scene.
Plastic Cowboys are from Ireland but I’m already daydreaming about the day I will get to see these songs performed live. Although I set out to find the references to mental health, escapism, and hangovers throughout this EP, I found myself completely captivated by Plastic Cowboys’ sound and charm.
My Favorite Track(s): “Storehouse”
For Fans Of: Indie-Rock With A Twist; Irish Accents
Dance-ability: 6 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie laid right behind my chair; Autumn kept walking between my face and computer screen so blame any typos on her
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
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