Reviewed by Harry Kaplan
Who says you have to be young and angry to make alternative/punk music? Not Kim Rancourt, that’s for sure. Kim is over 60 and makes music every bit as angry and vital as someone half his age. This album is no wave with some melody and harmony. More importantly, this album is the embodiment of New York City. From The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, New York Dolls, Ramones, Sonic Youth and others, this album is the baton being passed.
Plum Plum is absolutely stunning. What it may lack in country music, it makes up for with a pureness and honesty rarely achieved. This album has it all: dissonance, trippy guitars, atmosphere, open spaces, and genuinely compelling music. I did not expect to fall for this one as hard as I have. I went into this listening with no expectations and the damn thing completely floored me. The writing, creativity, and attitude is absolutely upper echelon.
If you had any doubt about the connection to the New York sound, listen to I Kissed Pat Place (Track 5). This track has that definite ’77 punk sound and also has the noise and pop sensibilities of Sonic Youth. As long as we are talking about the New York sound, we should add Hail (Track 6) into the discussion. Like the track before it, this song says I Love New York, but in a little different format. Hail is a little more minimalistic and haunting, yet does not stray too far from the pop song structure.
If you like your music a little more wild and angry then feast your ears on Arkansas Is Burning (Track 7). This song is like an acid trip gone bad with completely irreverent guitar parts that are scary and seemingly structure less. The vocals are actually more like spoken word that singing. This song is post punk at its incongruous best. It is totally badass. That is a powerful word that I do not use lightly.
This whole album is badass and mind blowing. I am now convinced that older folks, like me, still have the fire and angry seeds to make some powerful music to be enjoyed by all age groups. Plum Plum is an album that will give no one buyer’s remorse. You will only get embarrassment if someone asks you to put this on and you don’t have it. SO go now and purchase this, pronto!