Plow United - Human 2000 Lathe Cut 7" (/50)

Jump Start (2013)

Plow United were pretty much the best band and the kings of what I consider my local scene in the 90s.  Even though I was in northern New Jersey and Plow was from West Chester, Pennsylvania, whenever they came up by us and played shows, they were always something very special.  While I don't think everyone up here thought of Plow as one of the local bands, they always felt that way to me.

This record came out in 2013 as part of that year's Record Store Day, though I wouldn't imagine it was officially part of it.  Rogue RSD records out there.  There were 50 of these made and it's a lathe cut 7".  The four songs on here are all also on the 2013 Plow United full length, Marching Band.  It's a great record and these are great songs, but I can't say I really understand the point of releasing it.

I have these four songs already and the sound quality of a lathe cut is nowhere near that of a normal record.  It's kind of just a limited tchotchke for collector nerds like me to stress out over.  In fact, this was the one Plow record that had been eluding me for years now.  I was excited to see it finally pop up on Discogs a few weeks back and I'm happy to have it, though I cannot imagine why I would ever play it again.

Plow United - Three LP - Red & Beige Vinyl (/500)

It's Alive (2016)

Plow United return with another album called Three.  It's a relief to see that 2013's Marching Band wasn't a one and done after the band returned from a decade plus long hibernation.  I'm not sure if Three is quite as great as Marching Band was, but it is still a pretty fantastic record.

Three starts off with "We Should Take Time," a brief, punky intro with a fifty thousand mile per hour drum beat.  That sort of drumming isn't usually my favorite thing in the world and it made me a tad nervous the first time I put the record on, but those fears were immediately quashed by the very next song "Break The Barrier."  This is where Plow really shines.  They slowed down the tempo just a bit, inserted a catchy guitar riff and alternate back and forth between palm muted chugging and that sparkling riff.

As we move through the album, Plow unleashes some spectacular tunes.  "Everything," "Trust" and "The Writing on the Wall" are as strong as anything in the band's back catalog.  There are a few quick songs that are so short they kind of whiz by before they really sink in including the blink and you'll miss it "Hello Vertigo" and the criminally too brief "Radio."  

Overall though, this is a logical, strong follow up to Marching Band.  I've been listening to Plow United for a lot of years.  The fact that they've released two albums that are pretty different from the records they put out during their first run, but still manage to be equally enthralling is testament to their greatness.

Plow United - Three:

https://itsaliverecords.bandcamp.com/album/three

Plow United - Everything 7"

33 Forever (2016)

I was pretty psyched to open up a package that was addressed to this website and find that it contained the new Plow United 7".  I've said it before, but I'll repeat it again: I always am appreciative of an label that sends me something to review, but if you send me a record by a band I already like that's worth some bonus points.  

I've been listening to Plow United for twenty some odd years at this point and they still manage to the create these anthems that make me want to ball up my fist and shout along.  "Everything" is a perfect example of this and is also going to be on the band's upcoming full length.  The verse builds off of rapid fire vocals describing different ideologies and beliefs until the chorus kicks in to explain that "I've been everything."  With this being Plow United, be sure that the chorus is delivered in the catchiest  and most triumphant way possible.  

Exclusive to this 7" is the B side "'39."  It's a Queen cover from the Night At The Opera album, though you may not pick up on that listening to Plow's version.  Clocking in at an economical one minute and fifty-three seconds, Plow turns this into a fast paced, slightly country tinged interpretation.  If I have one complaint, it's that it seems to fly by too quick, but both songs do a great job of whetting my appetite for the new Plow United full length.  Expect a review of that in the next few weeks as well.

Plow United - Everything 7":

https://33foreverrecords.bandcamp.com/album/plow-united-everything-7

Plow United / The Scandals - Split 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Artistic Integrity (2015)

Another day, another Plow United 7".  I'm not sure that's how the old saying goes, but I would be totally fine if it was.  When a band is consistently cranking out so many great songs, you'll never hear me complain about new records to pick up.  This time, Plow is paired with The Scandals.  They're a band I've never really heard of prior to listening to this record.  Despite their name, I can confirm that The Scandals are not a ska band.

This 7" is arranged with a song by each band on each side as opposed to each band taking a side.  I've never been a big fan of that, so I'm going to lump the songs back together for the purpose of this review.  Plow United gives two more killers.  "Coda" starts off with the band's two thousand mile an hour drum and guitar attack.  The song races through the chorus and then slows down and hits that perfectly timed hook for a gigantic chorus.  So, so great.  "I'm Onto You" is a bit more reserved, but every bit as catchy.  It's got a very slight greaser vibe to it and reminds me a bit of early Social Distortion.  Just a bit.

The Scandals turn in two songs.  "Second Thought" starts off with some Against Me sounding vocals over a light guitar riff intro.  The songs eventually builds into an upbeat rocker and it's a pretty fun song."Sirens" also starts out with just guitar and vocals before the rest of the band kicks in, though they get to things a bit quicker on this one.  It's solid mid tempo punk rock and the Against Me vibe is even stronger on this one, especially in the vocals.  Pretty catchy and a good listen.  It never crosses into being a truly great song, but I have no complaints.

As I've said before, I'll buy any Plow United split 7" regardless of the other band.  Having that other band be pretty good is just a nice bonus.

Plow United / The Scandals - Split 7":

https://artisticintegrityrecords.bandcamp.com/album/air-024-plow-united-the-scandals-split

Plow United / The Headies - Split 7" - Clear Vinyl (/100)

Self Aware (2015)

It's been pretty exciting seeing Plow United as an active band again.  They've played some shows, put out a full length album and now they're going back to another hallmark of the 1990's; the split 7".

Plow United's contributions to this split are pretty great.  "Gary Gygax" has a rolling drum beat and a fast dynamic punch.  To me it sounds like it would fit right in the Plow II era.  "These Six Words" is a bass fueled and palm muted guitar filled track where the band slows things down a little.  It takes a special band to take on a lower key song without compromising the excitement of their fast tracks, but Plow pulls it off flawlessly.

The Headies offer four short rippers on their side of the record.  The songs are decidedly 90's punk rock sounding.  They've got hooks in all of the right places, gang vocals that sweeten the choruses and a pretty ferocious drummer.  When Plow is on the flip side of your record and I'm noticing your drummer, that's a pretty good sign.  I do wish the songs were a little longer in general. I've always had a hard time with bands pumping out sixty to ninety second long tracks.  Everything seems kind of rushed to me.  That being said, The Headies do it better than most and are a nice surprise since honestly, I would have bought this 7" no matter who was on the non-Plow side.

Plow United / The Headies - Split 7":

https://selfawarerecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-7-3

Plow United - Delco 7" - Gray Vinyl (/250)

It's Alive (2014)

Of all of the 90's bands that have reunited, Plow United is the one that I may secretly be most excited about.  Sure, a new Rocket From The Crypt or Bum record would blow my mind, but Plow was always the closest thing to a great local band that we had when I was younger.  Yeah, they're from Pennsylvania and I'm in New Jersey, but they played so many of the shows around here that it's hard to not think of them as one of ours.  I mean, if I don't claim Plow, who am I going to claim? Bigwig? No thanks.

The Delco 7" is the first record since their fantastic Marching Band LP from last year.  To me, the production was a bit tighter on Marching Band and that gave those songs more of a biting edge.  I think as a whole the 4 songs on Delco sound a little softer in comparison.  Maybe things just sound a bit more relaxed, but the songs themselves are still as great as ever.  Well, the 3 main ones anyway as lead off "That Was Awesome" is pretty much just a 45 second intro/throwaway.

Once the start/stop guitar riff of "All For You" punches in, this 7" just flies by.  Impassioned vocals and dynamic drumming are Plow United staples and they're in full force here as well.  If you like Plow, you're crazy not to pick this up.  If you're new to them, I don't know that this is the absolute best place to start.  I'd grab last year's Marching Band LP or my favorite album of theirs, the recently rereleased Plow II LP.

Plow United - Delco 7":

http://itsaliverecords.bandcamp.com/album/delco

Plow United - One 7" & Two Split 7"s

Plow United - One 7" & Two Split 7"s, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

West Chester Rock City 7" - Total Jayos (1996)
Plow / Weston - Split 7" Coolidge (1995)
Plow United / Stressboy - Split 7" (1996)

Even though they're from Pennsylvania and I'm from New Jersey, I always considered Plow United to be the best local band that we had back in the mid 90's. They constantly came up to play shows with the North Jersey bands and they were often tapped as support when some of the bigger punk rock bands came though town. I always loved them live and in particular played the hell out of their 2nd album Goodnight Sellout.

For some reason, I never picked up too many of their 7"s. I think I just had the mentality that they're always around, I'll just grab them next time. Then suddenly they weren't around anymore and all of the 7"s disappeared. I never even picked up their first full length on vinyl. Really kicking myself about that all these years later because you hardly ever see these old records anymore.

The three 7"s here represent a prime era of Plow United. Even though I never had these records before, all of these songs are familiar and feel like home. A few had ended up on Goodnight Sellout but the others are ones that I'm sure I know having seen the band play so many times. It's a real trip back to a very exciting time in music for me. I'm hopeful that at some point I can find the remainder of the Plow 7"s I'm missing and fingers crossed that a copy of their first S/T LP turns up at some point.

Plow United - West Chester Rock City (Live):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mVLqN7LokI

Plow United - Marching Band LP - Mixed Color Vinyl (/100)

Plow United - Marching Band LP - Mixed Color Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Jump Start (2013)

When news got out that Plow United was back together, playing shows AND recording a new album, I went in with some slight trepidation. At the best of times, big name bands crumble under the lofty expectations of a reunion and most smaller bands honestly don't even bother. Being from New Jersey I am very familiar with Plow United's work in the 90's, I don't think I could count the number of times I saw them play (Though one of my very favorite times was when they played with Porcelain Boys at the Pipeline in Newark). To me they were an important band, but it also seemed to me at the time that they weren't known as well outside of our little community of punk rockers. I was surprised when they announced their reunion and I wasn't sure what I would think of their new material.

Well, this really is a great record. Plow United have managed to keep the bulk of their enthusiasm and most importantly the speed of their songs in tact. Sure there are a few tracks that slow things down a bit and one or two that have a slight (and really, I mean slight) twang to them, but in general it sounds like a band picking up where they left off. Older, and tackling subject matter that's more important to me as I also got older. Plow United is a band that has aged with me, and while I don't feel all that old (most of the time), the things that are important to me have changed over the years. It's interesting to hear that from a band as well.

The first half of the record, in particular, is just a scorcher and by the time they get the to the "We do, we do!" hook at the end of "Cui Bono," I'm just about ready to grab a torch and a pitchfork and storm whatever castle is responsible. I tend to prefer the faster songs like "Cui Bono," "Act Like It" and album closer "Meggers." The one time they lose me on the record is on "Get Low." There's nothing inherently wrong with the song itself, but I just don't like the voice of the person singing the duet (I believe it's Mimi Gallagher of the band Nona, but it's not explicitly spelled out in the liner notes). Every time I hear the song it just makes me think of the Atom & His Rockage song "(She's Just A) Head."

That is really the slightest speed bump in a record that I am just thrilled with. When a band has been broken up as long as Plow United has, there's always that chance they won't live up to what you remember. In this case, they not only lived up, they probably exceed what they did on their last pre-breakup record Narcolepsy. Plow, stay together this time. The 30 somethings need you.

Plow United - Marching Band:
jumpstartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/marching-band

Plow United - Act Like It 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Plow United - Act Like It 7" - White Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Kiss Of Death (2012)

Of all the bands from the 90's that decided to get back together, I really never thought one of them would have been Plow United. Having cut my teeth on punk rock shows in NJ during the 90's, I couldn't even tell you how many times I saw Plow United playing with other bands. They always put on an amazing show and very specifically, I just remember being in awe of how fast the drummer played. I always thought of them as a local phenomenon and when they split I was bummed. I didn't really know there was demand for them to get back together, but I'm glad to be wrong.

The Act Like it 7" contains the first new Plow songs in ages. They're starting the run up to a brand new Plow United full length that should be coming out soon I imagine. Now the songs, how do they compare to the old gems? These 2 are quite good. The band sounds older, to be sure, but I don't know that you can call them more 'mature' as a lot of bands get labeled as they get older. These sound like Plow songs to me. Maybe not quite as fast, maybe the production is a bit fuller. Act Like It, in particular, has a really strong and catchy hook.

Long time fans may be looking for something to complain about as these songs are not carbon copies of the bands earlier work, but if you enjoyed Plow United 15 years ago, I'd be really surprised if you couldn't enjoy these songs as well. I, for one, can't wait for the full length to come out.

Plow United - Act Like It:
kissofdeathrecords.bandcamp.com/album/plow-united-act-lik...