Album Review: Plantlife - The Return Of Jack Splash (Gut/Counterflow)

Writer: Sherman

Plantlife are a four-piece collective from LA and the first signing to ex-talking loud supremo Paul Martin’s Gut Instinct label. They’ve garnered props from Mos Def (“the new generation of funk”), Vikter Duplaix, Slum Village and Gilles Peterson – not a bad crew to put on your CV – and they wear their influences on their sleeve…George Clinton, Sly Stone, Prince, and the Ohio Players.

But then, who doesn’t these days? Barely a week goes by without some over-hyped new act claiming to have stuck rock/hip hop/jazz/funk and what have you into the blender, pressed the button marked ‘pulse’, and come up with the future of music as we know it. The triumph of this debut release is that, while Plantlife doff their collective hat to their 70s funk influences, they have managed to come up with something incredibly fresh.

This is an album of humour, consciousness, tenderness and intelligence, dressed up as chilled-out soul, funk-rock workouts and weird electronica soundscapes. Comparisons have been made with The Love Below - although this was allegedly conceived long before Outkast blew us away. Lead vocalist Mr Splash certainly does sound like Andre 3000, and isn’t always easy on the ear, but what this collection also shares is the confidence to flaunt its lyrical depth and musical originality.

New Day and Why’d You Call Me? are up there with the best love songs you’ll catch this year, and I can see Luv 4 The World (Why They Gotta Hate?) and The Last Song getting the nod on some of the more discerning dancefloors. It would have made an excellent summer soundtrack – bad timing on the release then – but there’s plenty here for cosy winter nights too. One of the albums of the year, without a doubt.

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PUBLISHED: 14 November 2004

RELEASE DATE: 1 November 2004 (UK)