ALL Plastiscene Songs Ranked (+Skylab)
It should come as no surprise that I have a soft spot for indie artists and bands. I started a CD collection mainly because I starting accumulating CDs from bands that no longer have their music available online.
My favorite of these forgotten indie bands is that of Plastiscene, a brit-rock group originating from southern California in the 90s. The band released an EP and an album that decade and even got one of their songs, “Lemon Yellow” featured in the 1998 motion picture, BASEketball. The group revaped themselves in the early 2000s to form Skylab, and released another album in 2002.
Most of their material has been lost to the internet for decades, but around the COVID-19 pandemic, the band released their entire discography on Bandcamp, including demos that were recorded but never saw the public eye. So I compiled a list of their entire discography, including the Skylab album available on Spotify.
34. (Untitled) (Plastiscene EP)
While the only sole instrumental track on this list sounds decent, it should be no wonder it is making the bottom of the list. But it’s not bad. Currently, it’s set as my default alarm.
33. Hey You (Plastiscene EP)
I don’t hate any song by Plastiscene, but “Hey You” is one of those songs that I’m 99% positive that no one would miss if it suddenly disappeared. It has a nice groove to it, but the way “I don’t know about you” is sung to start the song feels so forced. It is as if the song was only written to mimic other famous hits like “Hey Dude” from Kula Shaker or The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” It is enjoyable, but more in the way that one would enjoy a cupcake from the corner store at the gas station.
32. Cut the Strings (Proving Ground Sessions)
This song isn’t too terrible with its verse, but the only memorable part of it is the chorus, which happens to be the most irritating chorus Gisborne has written. It’s not trash — it would have made the last slot if it was — but it seems to be the flawed draft of The Local Division’s “Stroke of Genius.” A good launching spot for one of his best works, but as it is, don’t bother with too much to remember what this one sounds like.
31. Sometimes I See (Plastiscene EP)
You remember that embarrassing artwork from the third grade that is both terrible and adorable at the same time? This is the kind of sentiment you feel for “Sometimes I See,” and most of Plastiscene EP, in general. The lyrics and music aren’t hall-of-fame-worthy, but I feel compelled to give it some slack because it was recorded so early in the band’s career. It has the kind of charm that is naive but still trying, and it is a track that is nice to listen to every once in a while. A good opener for the first record from the Brit-pop/rock duo.
30. New World Dream (Reprise) (Rollercoaster)
Never once have I caught myself thinking, “I want to listen to the reprise of ‘New World Dream.’” After “New World Dream,” sure, I usually set it to play directly after. But by itself, it is like choosing to only listen to the last minute of “Helter Skelter” by The Beatles. It is funny to hear Ringo scream, “I’ve got blisters on my fingers!” (just like my strange amusement at Gisborne’s pronunciation of “pretty” in his British accent) but that defeats the purpose of the song.
29. She Won’t Say (Proving Ground Sessions)
Mainly, this song bugs me because it reminds me of the music I listened to before I loved rock. You may take that as offensive, but although I like the repetition of the phrase, I can’t help but feel bitter when I really start to pay attention.
28. All in All (Proving Ground Sessions)
I like the sentiment of this song skipping a musical intro and cutting straight to the chase: “all in all” — to put it simply — “we’re just the same.” It matches the idea; no long explanation, just putting it out there plainly. It’s not a bad song; simple and direct, but there’s not anything particularly unique or special about it, either.
27. Up or Down (Seeing Stars)
I hate labeling “Up or Down” as the worst song off Seeing Stars. I love the slurs and glissandos, and it’s so much fun to sing the vibrating pitches of the chorus. But it lacks any meat in the lyrics to make it a noteworthy song.
26. Take Me Away From Earth (Rollercoaster)
I’ve never liked songs that start with a sample of a distorted voice speaking. I like the lyrics, “Shame it’s all over/Take me all over/Take me away from Earth,” but 85% of the rest of the lyrics are indecipherable. Spit. Out. Your. Con-so-nants. Gisborne. The jarbled vocals come off as lazy instead of cool, and it’s the only Plastiscene song that comes close to a level of hatred for me.
25. Who Are You (Seeing Stars)
For the longest time, “Who Are You” was marked below “Up or Down” on my list. But the song is more dynamically contrast and explosive in a way that sets a clear distinction between the verse (the commentary) and the chorus (the thesis) that I had to place it higher.
24. I Won’t Let You Down (The American Recording Sessions)
If there’s one thing to be said about The American Recording Sessions, it’s this: it is the most consistent record the band has recorded in their career as Plastiscene. Most, if not all of the songs resemble the same mood and quality with each other. “I Won’t Let You Down” makes for a great opener, but it is also the most basic. Again, a great beginning to introduce the remaining four tracks as each song gets even better than the one before it, but still ranked as the least as an individual song.
23. Disconnected (Rollercoaster)
Fun fact (if you haven’t seen my Plastiscene video on YouTube): “Disconnected” was initially intended to be the title track for its EP, which was instead named “Rollercoaster.” The quality sounds cheap and the vocals are too in-your-face, not unlike the sound of the band’s debut EP. It is especially disappointing knowing that Rollercoaster was the last record that Plastiscene recorded before their hiatus. It was like a step back, in a way, despite me really enjoying most of the songs on it. I am glad “Disconnected” is not the title track, though. It is certainly not the greatest song Plastiscene has recorded, and while I can enjoy the chorus and the lyrics, the rest of the EP was so much better.
22. Yellow and Green (Rollercoaster)
Breaking up the trend, this is a song I wanted to hate more than I do. There’s so many other songs that are “objectively” better, but I just can’t put them past “Yellow and Green.” The melodies are catchy,
21. New World Dream (Rollercoaster)
I’ve already exposed how much I love Gisborne’s enunciation. The chorus of this song may not be the greatest, but the deep echoes give it depth and keep you interested. The verses are great, and the echoes before the chorus offer a smooth transition between the different sections of the song.
20. Times Don’t Change (Seeing Stars)
It baffles me that this song got so high. The lyrics aren’t much of anything special, but the music is more likely what decided its spot on this list. Gisborne has said he had only two days to write all of the lyrics on Seeing Stars, and it is as if he poured all of his time and effort into the instrumental arrangement of this song and then ran out of time to write the lyrics. And that makes “Times Don’t Change” a great example of what procrastination looks like, to “look at things in another way.”
19. Big Wheel (Seeing Stars)
There are multiple songs by Gisborne that talk about pills, but the lyrics from “Big Wheel” (“So you think you know which pills to take/And you’re taking your tea to stay awake”) are some of my favorite. It’s the best line of the song, yet other than the first verse or the chorus, there’s nothing much left to vouch for it being placed higher on the list. The song is great, especially as a single, but compared to the rest of Seeing Stars, it is left behind in the dust.
18. On Your Own Time (Seeing Stars)
The placement of “On Your Own Time” on this list is a testament to how good the remaining 20 songs are. That, or I just have a strange taste in music. Most probably it’s a combination of both. Anyway, the melodies of this song are so good that it should be a crime to not sing along with “You are, you are.” And among the rest of the album, the lyrics are grouped with the better half of it.
17. Lemon Yellow (Seeing Stars)
If Seeing Stars was all nonsense, then “Lemon Yellow” was the perfect single. I love this song most probably because I’m addicted to the cringiest and most 90s music video in history. You can’t not like the song; it’s the “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” or the “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” of Plastiscene. Maybe Panic! isn’t the best example to compare, but it’s classic, the most known song in the band’s discography, and easy to get hooked on.
16. Roundabout (The American Recording Sessions)
For some reason, if I tell myself “Crying Lightning,” I can immediately remember the sound of “Roundabout.” And how grateful I am that I think of Arctic Monkeys instead of the mess that was the chorus of “Cut the Strings.” Also, the fact that it’s a song that uses the band’s name in the lyrics (like “Lemon Yellow”) scores it even more points.
15. Tick Tock (Rollercoaster)
Should this song be here? Probably not. I honestly don’t know why I like it so much. It sounds similar to my voice, it’s another very emotional performance, and it sounds like a poem I once wrote, so it resonates with me. I specifically enjoy the reference to drugs, and I love how Gisborne is practically crying out in the chorus and bridge.
14. Caught and Amazed (Rollercoaster)
You know that song you tell everyone you hate but can’t convince the dopamine in your brain to agree with you? That is exactly how I feel with “Caught and Amazed.” If it were my brain chemicals deciding this list, this song would make into the top three, easy — maybe even higher. To put it simply: I. Love. This. Song. I am literally addicted to it — I love the falsetto contrasting with the baritone-ranged verses, I love the lyrics, I love the rhetorical questions, I love everything.
13. Hole in the Sky (The American Recording Sessions)
I terribly overlooked “Hole in the Sky” when I first ranked Plastiscene’s discography in 2020. The chorus and build-up are amazing, and the repetition of “sleep the day away” is especially pleasing. I love how the melody slowly descends in the chorus, like something falling out of that hole in the sky. The guitar solos are arguably the best of the other four songs, and I can’t believe I used to put it near the bottom of the list.
12. Around the World (Seeing Stars)
I don’t regret placing the song where I did, but I keep searching for a reason to justify my decision to no avail. I just really like the guitar and overall mood of it. And it also has a few interesting visual imagery, including “Apple of eyes turned to pears,” which is one of my favorite lyrics on the album, and it adds to the Brit-pop style of the record.
11. Sundial (Seeing Stars)
If there’s one lesson to be learned from Gisborne’s discography, it’s how to write a darn good opener. After Plastiscene EP, you have “Sundial” as the first track of Seeing Stars and are left asking yourself, “What happened?” How did we so quickly jump from songs like “Sometimes I See” to the brilliance that was “Sundial?” There is nothing about this song to hate — it has exactly the kind of energy we needed to hear to introduce us to the record, and I honestly don’t know if anything else will be able to top this album.
10. It All Comes Down (Seeing Stars)
The rock-iest number off of Seeing Stars, “It All Comes Down” is a song that has the easiest message to follow. Whether it be personal or political, the distorted sound was the best possible choice for it, and it probably wouldn’t be as enjoyable if it sounded any different. The organ (sounding much like “Strawberry Fields Forever”) by itself gives the song a minor sound, and then when the guitars and drums kick in, it gives a sensation that the sky is falling — it’s all coming down. I gave Gisborne credit for his falsetto voice, but it seems that I have failed to give him credit for the low tones, because I love when he descends to the low G or below. And I love how the chorus changes every time: going from “You’re watching it die” and “You’re all alone” to “You’re not alone…/You’re watching it shine/Now we know just what to do, somehow it’s different today/You know just what to say.”
9. Sympathetic Eyes (Rollercoaster)
The verses and the chorus of “Sympathetic Eyes” is so good, I could’ve put it in the top ten. I love the low pitches that that descend with “Every day the sun goes down.” However, it has the worst ending of any song Gisborne has ever released. The bridge was fine, but then it didn’t drive its point in at the end — just “listen to the voice up in your head.” I normally love songs that end with the lyrics of the beginning, but this one just wasn’t satisfying.
8. Mr. Sheen (Seeing Stars)
Mr. Sheen is an easy song to overlook, but similar to “It All Comes Down,” the most charming aspect of this song is the changing chorus that follows the evolving mindset of Mr. Sheen: “And now he’s coming out to play/Says everyone can taste the day/…No one reigns supreme over his head.”
7. In Your Mind (Plastiscene EP)
Funny how half of Plastiscene EP was practically garbage and the other half was practically brilliant. “In Your Mind” is a song fit for The Beatles, as it rocks a similar mood as Revolver or Magical Mystery Tour; as if Lennon and Harrison had co-written and performed it themselves. Of course, Gisborne has his own style thrown in, which can be seen most prominently in the chorus.
6. My Friend (The American Recording Sessions)
This song was difficult to place, but ballad-type songs usually end up falling short compared to their more energetic or bipolar-sounding counterparts. Gisborne is not the greatest vocalist in the world — Plastiscene EP (his first record) is the most nasal on a spectrum while Before the Music Fades (his latest record) is the exact opposite being overly breathy — but if there’s one thing he can pull off, it’s falsetto. And in “My Friend,” those high tones he hits are the aspects of it.
5. She Goes On (Seeing Stars)
There are times I look back at the rest of Plastiscene’s discography and second guess my praise for “She Goes On.” But then it play, and all of my doubts evaporate. Why didn’t more people acknowledge this song? Maybe because it was sandwiched between Seeing Stars’ two worst songs, but this track is pure gold. Every aspect of it glitters, and after the rain of “Picture in My Mind” and the crumbling sky of “It All Comes Down,” “She Goes On” is the calm, soft falling of snow in December. Still sober, but also very emotional. It signifies the coming of a new year, a new chapter — after deciding he needs to leave her, as he cries out in “Picture in My Mind,” now in this song: “I realize it’s been four/Years since I knocked on your door/Or seen your eyes in December.” He hasn’t even looked her in the eyes — the connection between them has already sizzled out, and she has already moved on without him. Even more powerful: “I wanna go where there’s no one that knows, can I go?/Can I go away?”
4. A Northern Town (Proving Ground Sessions)
I have one huge bias that needs to be addressed regarding my love of “A Northern Town”: I. Love. Rain. I love the symbolism it holds, I love the sound, the feel if it on my face; and therefore, I love practically any song that uses it in their lyrics. But that isn’t the only reason why I love “A Northern Town” as much as I do. Like Cage the Elephant’s “Cigarette Daydreams,” the music perfectly resembles the atmosphere of a rainfall (as a regular occurrence — more melancholy than anything), and like “Being No One,” the strings give it more points. I guess also being the one great song on Proving Ground Sessions, it stands out quite a bit.
3. Blur to Me (The American Recording Sessions)
Plastiscene could attribute most of their charm to its youth and visual imagery, but “Blur to You” is among one of their more thought-provoking numbers utilizing pace to paint its picture. The syntax characterized by pauses (or lack thereof) between lines perfectly reflects the song of the mind trying to make sense of a situation from the second the song opens with “Sometimes I walk alone and I feel alive but I don’t know what to do.” These series of polysyndetic or asyndetic lines routinely return to the thought, “I don’t know what to do.” It shows jumbled thought and slight concern or confusion. It’s like brain vomit: an anxious mind trying to work through a major life change or trial. The bridge even explicitly shows this with “Are you counting the days? Are you going insane?…/Is it all in your mind?” The pitch doesn’t change for a stretch of time — it’s rambling and screams out in his head and in the listener’s ears.
2. Picture in My Mind (Seeing Stars)
Making the top of my best lyrics list, I have already explained in great detail on numerous occasions the value of this song to me. One of my proudest drawings was a visualization of my favorite lyric of all time: “In the mirror now see a faceless man swimming with the stars in a sea of hands.” It has arguably the best bridge on all of Seeing Stars, and I can promise you that my own children will have “Picture in My Mind” ingrained into their minds from the moment they are born.
1. Now As One (Plastiscene EP)
If you thought my love of “Picture in My Mind” was out there, you haven’t seen anything yet. “Shelter My Soul” from Gisborne’s solo album, Before the Music Fades, is the one song that comes even close to topping this one. There is no way to accurately describe the beauty of “Now As One” in words. It is a simple tune featuring mainly Gisborne’s nasal, early-Plastiscene vocals that makes my family cringe at the sound, pus an acoustic guitar. But the Lennon influence is strong on this track, with lyrics similar to “Imagine,” “Come Together,” and even “I Am the Walrus” or “Strawberry Fields Forever,” of all things. But “Now As One” is more beautiful and peaceful than any bout of lyrics Lennon wrote in his entire lifetime — in my opinion, at least. And it’s the simplicity and the imperfect sound that makes it so pure. This song has the innocence of a child, the color of a flower garden, the sentiment of the ocean waves drawing in and receding from the white sand of the beach. I can just imagine sitting on the edge of that beach watching the colors of the sun melt as it sets over the horizon. “So when you feel like the world’s closing in on you/You’ve got to open your mind, let it all shine through.”
