he Plastic Eaters, for the uninformed, is a New York City-based punk rock band (by way of Philadelphia and Great Britain) that blends old school punk ethos with urbanized industrial touches, the occasional break beat, and (GASP!) actual melody.


Comprised of multi-talented musicians who have also made substantial contributions in the fields of filmmaking, video and sound production (singer Robdaly - yes, it’s usually spelled as one word- is an accomplished programmer, sound editor and filmmaker with several high-profile projects to his credit, and bassist Stan Stammers {of Theater of Hate/Spear of Destiny-fame} has his hand in music production ranging from hip hop artists Incognegro to Rocket From the Crypt), the Plastic Eaters have been around since the late 1990s and if this is the first you’re hearing of them, you’d better catch up quick.


Giggies and Piggies makes for a pretty decent initiation to this band, though it’s only a 3-track recording. If you’re looking to get an earful of something more fully realized, check out their website (www.plasticeaters.com) and get a hold of Live At The Uptown. But for the purpose of introduction, this current disc serves well.


My first impression upon listening was that of an oddly successful blending of Oi and American punk, with commercially viable aspects similar to a band like the Clash. I’m not sure if I’m on target with that appraisal, but when I hear these tracks, I hear absolutely nothing that The Ramones, The Business or The Sex Pistols would be ashamed to cover.


Giggies and Piggies kicks off with the succinct “Nowhere to Go,” a track that jumps immediately out at you with all the ferocity of an early Johnny Lydon number, replete with rousing choruses and frenetically paced, bass-heavy percussion. With slightly more rhythm than you would expect, this track manages to combine working class frustrations with genuine sentiment. You’re compelled to move to the dense beats despite the dead-end lyrics (“it’s 3pm and I’m still in bed...”). And to add to the lure, there are subtle traces of hip-hop sprinkled throughout.


“Bug Away” comes on with a Ramones-like “hey-ho let’s go” rambunctiousness as singer Robdaly redefines the punk ethic with a voice that’s all at once raspy and strongly presented. The churning break in this song soars with a precise and driving rhythm (again, thanks to the combined assault of Stammers’ 4-string, Sean Money’s fretting finesse and Geoff Verne’s pummeling technique).With more of a hard-edged affront, “Big Ball It” is a colossal, good time number, full of raw power and emotionally vibrant energy. (And, the hard rocking intro ain’t bad either!) The sing-a-long chorus (“big ball it -Its all we know/big ball it -and at the show/ big ball it -and later too/big ball it-its what we do”) is done up with an amazingly infectious zeal for the genre, and therein lies the appeal of this band.


The Plastic Eaters make music that’s fun and fresh, adding urban beats and hooky riffs to catchy rhythm lines and choruses that make you wanna jump and shout. This is a completely noisy, stimulating, and joyful sound. The main drawback being that it’s just way too short. But then again, that’s the beauty: It makes you want more.

UPDATE FOR 2006: CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE...

www.plasticeaters.com