Just before I graduated from the University of Delaware, I was plugged into the Christian music industry. During this five-year period, I even subscribed to CCM Magazine to stay informed about potential breakout artists. Based upon outspoken musicians like Wes King, many bands were being given bad advice like the group Plankeye. Whether this was their agents, producers or record companies, some lead singers were led astray and did not stay true to who they were and wanted to become. Or song writers fly under the radar, created the most amazing album nobody ever heard of and when forced to write a new one quickly without any inspiration from the Holy Spirit, their second project miserably failed, dropping out of sight and fading from our memories.
Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. 2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. 3 Why do you [a]stare from without at the [b]very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam [c]of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam [d]of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye, Matthew 7:1-5.
Every band which plays together for more than a decade tends to evolve with time. Yet, Plankeye wasn’t sure who they wanted to become, touching 4 genres with their first 4 projects: metal, hard rock, pop rock and pop. While Plankeye was raw as a metal band, Spill, their hard rock project Commonwealth revealed their potential. The attached album, the One and Only, possesses that Cars flair which attracted me to Plankeye. Anyone can play armchair quarterback, but if Plankeye was searching for a specific genre to meet a broad audience, the songs on the One and Only album is that crossover sound. Since I’m not privy to what went on behind closed doors, I can only speculate. Nonetheless, if you like the music of the Cars, you’ll enjoy my favorite Plankeye album.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 