Don't Look a Gift Record in the Mouth

A few months yet another birthday came around and a very good friend of mine was kind enough to gift me two records when we saw each other a couple of weeks after the actual occasion.

The first one is by a band from France called Placid. The band released a demo two years ago and follows this up with this 7" called Aller James Retour, released earlier this year.  I learned French at school, but that was a long time ago, so I'm not always sure what they sing about. As far as the music is concerned, it took me a while to get used to it. Or maybe I just have to be in the right mood for this kind of music. It's very punky, which I usually like, but there's this effect on the vocals that doesn't always grab me. At least on record. I imagine this to be very fun to see live. I have the vague memory that I might have seen them live before or that I was at a show where Placid played as well and maybe didn't actually go in to see them. Be that as it may, today I'm in the mood for this sort of music, so it gets a thumbs up from me. 

1st Press on black on STTW Records /250

The second record is the vinyl debut by a band called Pluto the Racer. I've seen them a bunch of times live and was lucky enough to share the stage with them as well. Always a good time. The music is at the pop  end of the punk spectrum, but it's done really well. I'm always amazed by drummers who not only play the drums but also sing - and the singer in Pluto the Racer does both things so well. Maybe jealous is also an appropriate word, haha. They're a pretty young band too, so I'm very curious about their future. 

1st Press on Burgundy on KROD Records /500