The Getaway Plan -Requiem

Wed 23rd Nov, 2011 in Music Reviews

It would seem that the hiatus The Getaway Plan took in 2009, which was really just an overly dramatic way of saying they needed a break, did the band some good and gave the members a chance to reassess themselves musically.

The result of this re-evaluation is their second record ‘Requiem,’ a huge leap forward in maturity from their debut Other Voices, Other Rooms. There is a certain element of experimentation which has been rounded out and controlled by producer David Bottril (Tool, Muse), whose input has helped the group achieve the type of sound that makes them one of Australia’s premiere rock acts at the moment. Whilst the experimental feel is overly present, there are still plenty of moments that sound like The Getaway Plan of old, thus plenty of potential singles, and this is where the arguments can be formed.

The record begins with the first two singles, The Reckoning and Phantoms, both contain catchy chorus lines and enough of the older sound to keep fans interested, making them the obvious choices. However if you were to pose the question, are these the best tracks? The answer would be no.

The stand-out, and song that seems more “single” worthy, is a track called Move Along. Beginning with an incredibly emotional and melodic piano and vocal introduction, the band kicks in to a heavy but not-to-heavy-for-mainstream jam that is followed by soft verses, heavy chorus, and the most memorable melody lines on the record. It is a song that is crafted from the “how to write a single” work book that also contains enough weight to be respectable, what more could they ask for?

Another highlight, and one of the more “different” sounding songs, is S.T.A.R.S, a track driven its beat and orchestral stabs, allowing vocalist Matthew Wright, who is in fine form throughout the entire record, to lead the way. Another potential single that probably won’t be picked because it sounds too different to the older material is Heartsone, an anthem with a solid pace and an equal wrestle for melody between the guitar riffs and vocal lines.

The record ends with the softer acoustic and string driven Child Of Light, and the album’s title track, which continues the acoustic trend but builds and swells towards its end with a frantic beat and one final crushing wall of sound to finish every thing off. An album like this can do seriously big things for a band like The Getaway Plan, let’s hope they can handle it this time.