Opening with "Before the Fall," complete with Jeremy Underwood's lively vocals and Nick Underwood's spirited trumpet, along with the band's quirky attack of violin, guitar, and drums, Florida's
Plastic Mastery kicks off its debut full-length with unabashed confidence and enthusiasm. The pace remains fast and furious, as well as occasionally gentle and serene, with the indie pop six-piece marching through the first half of the disc with the feverish "Miles Away," while the soft and breezy "Sidelines" keeps listeners on their toes. Track five ("Yeah, Tonight) seamlessly flows into track six ("Remember That Night I Thought I Was Going to Die?"), which, in turn, seamlessly gives way to track seven ("The Bomb Song"), creating the undeniable emotional peak of the disc. The album's strength rests on the band's youthful energy and pop-fueled hooks, as well as Jeremy Underwood's tender vocals on the disc's handful of low-key ballads. The rich, symphonic pace slows down near the end, with a trio of slowed-down ballads. That slower pace is hijacked by the
Superchunk-inspired "Hapworth July, 2006" and the steady tempo of the disc-closer, "After the Fall." The disc was recorded in August 2001 at World As Myth Studio by Bill Doss. Magic Marker Records released the disc in October 2002. ~ Stephen Cramer