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So when I bought this CD I was
simply shaking with excitement. I mean I had felt Planet P Projects
first two releases in the early 80’s (Self titled and Pink World) were
really the direction I felt progressive rock music was going to take.
Unfortunately that was not to be the case and I had assumed that Tony
Carey and the PPP concept had faded into the great ether of fantastic
music lost on the whims and poor taste of the consuming public.
Fast forward to early 2005 and the new PPP “1931” lands in my music
collection. 1931, as noted in the brief liner notes, is part I of a
trilogy titled “Go out Dancing”. Part II, “Levittown” is under
production and Part III; “Out in the Rain” is mostly written and should
be in production in the not too distant future. But I am jumping ahead.
This review is about the most excellent release 1931.
I suppose that 1931 is a way to look back at some of the deepest and
darkest times in human kind. It starts off with the very haunting My
Radio Talks to Me, which is set in both Detroit and Germany. People are
rushing home to listen to their radio where some of the great leaders
and murderers of our time talk to the people through the radio, no TV in
1931.
The listener is fed snippets of a Hitler speech, a snippet of a Hirohito
speech and in general the stage is set for the beginnings of WWII.
Each song lays the ground work for not only the Holocaust but also for
some modern day actions like racism here in the US, white supremacists
in the wilds of Idaho (The Other Side of the Mountain), and the Oklahoma
City bombing (The Judge and the Jury).
Tony Carey’s song writing is just heart wrenching all across this CD and
each song grabs you by the throat and pulls you deeply into the fray.
“Join the Parade” points out how mob mentality works, how you can have a
hate filled ideology and as long as you remain part of the crowd you can
do your nasty deeds and simply fade into the background.
“Good Little Soldiers” says just
follow along and do what you’re told and I (insert name of
leader/ruler/king) will set you free. Two songs, Work (will make you
free) and Waiting for Winter are definitely about the Holocaust and just
really make your heart hurt as we are again reminded of man’s tremendous
inhumanity toward man.
Tony Carey however brings this CD crashing into modern times with the
last song “Where Does it Go?” which opens with a line implying that why
should we worry about past atrocities, I mean it can’t really happen
again… now can it?
And we are left pondering the fact that we humans just don’t get it, we
don’t get the fact that we have over and over and over again repeated
the most horrendous acts of our past as we simply refuse to learn from
the errors of our ways.
This is a very dark and moody CD but the tunes are at times toe tappers
with great hooks and riffs. It simply does not sound like a “one guy
plays it all” CD but of course this is a Tony Carey release.
If you have liked Tony’s other works and especially if you have enjoyed
the two previous PPP releases you will really love 1931. As a little
hint, Tony is finally working on a follow-up to the critically acclaimed
Pink World that was released in 1984.
Buy 1931 and pray that parts II and III are released soon.
Rating: 9.5 of 10
Reviewed By: Stephen Ellis
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Yellow Power - 1982
In The Absence Of The Cat -1982
I Won't Be Home Tonight -1982
Explorer - 1982
Heaven - 1982
No Human -1982
Planet P Project - 1983
Planet P Project - Pink World - 1984
Some Tough City - 1984
T.C.P. - 1984
Blue Highway - 1985
I Won't Be Home Tonight - 1987
Bedtime Story - 1987
Wilder Westen Inclusive -1989
The Story So Far - 1989
For You - 1989
Storyville - 1990
The Long Road East - 1992
Some Tough City (Re-Release) - 1992
Blue Highway (Re-Release) - 1992
For You (Best of) - 1993
Rare Tracks - 1993
Cold War Kids - 1994
Bedtime Story (Re-Release) - 1996
A Fine Fine Day - 1997
Storyville (Best of) - 1997
The Boystown Tapes - 1999
Gefangen im Jemen - 1999
Retrospective 1982-1999 - 2000
Go Out Dancing Part 1 - "1931" - 2003
Go Out Dancing Part 1 - "1931" - 2004
Island & Deserts self released / - 2004
Go Out Dancing part 1 - "1931" - 2004 |
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