These came out in 2000 – or at least that’s when I got ’em. Here’s what I said about them back then (with some minor editing):
Back in school we all learned the three R’s — but these days, most rock bands are just as familiar with the three G’s: Grunge, goth and glam. Add the two S’s — scratching and sampling — and you’ve got the formula for most modern-rock on the air and the charts these days.
But, as recent CDs from Canadian indie outfits Sprawl and Drug Plan point out, it’s how you mix ’em that matters. Sprawl, for instance, take the stylish approach (I suspect the fact that singer-guitarist Ralph Kircher owns his own recording studio has something to do with it). Their dozen-track debut is an expertly crafted affair, dripping with Brit-rock atmosphere and layered with musical textures from Radiohead vocals to Beatles melodies. Sometimes, actually, it’s a bit too well crafted — all the style threatens to overpower the substance. Still, give these lads a few hooky choruses and they’ll blow up like TNT.
Maybe they could borrow a few from Andy Curran; the former Coney Hatch member’s latest project Drug Plan shows he has plenty to spare. And plenty of good humour. In keeping with his last work — writing lyrics for Kim Mitchell — Drug Plan is the cure for the mope-rock blues: 12 catchy, alt-rock uppers guaranteed to put a smile on yer mug. His secret? Less is more. Unlike Sprawl, Curran doesn’t overly concerned with production value. He knows the real formula for successful modern rock: 1 hot guitar lick + 1 catchy lyric + 1 cool sound effect = 1 good song.
