Plasticland-Colour Appreciation (Lolita 1984)

Deput LP In 1984 From These Psychedelic Candys. Colour Appreciation Is Pure 60s Influenced Psychedelic Garage Pop Magic. A Trip Not To Be Missed For Any Reason!!!

This Milwaukee band released some of the most interesting psychedelic records of the 1980s. Leader Glenn Rehse's songwriting talents combined with fine musicianship without the band to create some old-fashioned songwriting at a time when it was decidedly out of style.


Plasticland's acid-drenched neo-psychedelic sound bore some resemblance to L.A.'s concurrent paisley underground scene, but instead of drawing their chief inspiration from the Velvet Underground, the Milwaukee quartet had a greater affinity for vintage garage rock and British mind-benders like Syd Barret-era Pink Floyd and the Pretty Things. Formed in 1980 out of the ashes of prog rockers Arousing Polaris, Plasticland included vocalist/guitarist/organist Glenn Rehse, guitarist Dan Mullen, bassist John Frankovic, and drummer Vic Demechei, who debuted that summer with the "Mink Dress" single on Scadillac. Several more singles and EPs followed, including 1982's Pop! Oh Drops(whose material later became part of the band's first album); there were also several personnel shifts, as Demechei was replaced first by Bob DuBlon, then Rob McCuen. (Several tracks with the Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie on guitar were also recorded during this era.)

Plasticland's first full-length, Color Appreciation was issued on the French Lolita label in 1984; a year later, it was re-released in America by Pink Dust with two different tracks, titled simply Plasticland. The follow-up, Wonder Wonderfull Wonderland, was released before the end of 1985, and featured Mellotron and bouzouki, among other vintage psychedelic accoutrements. By the time of 1987's Salon, Demechei had returned to the fold. Plasticland subsequently resurfaced on the Midnight label with a pair of live albums: 1989's You Need a Fairy Godmother featured onetime Pink Fairies/Pretty Things drummer Twink, and 1990's Confetti. In the late '80s, a German fan commissioned an album, Dapper Snappings, for his Repulsion label. The albums was eventually released in 1994. Some of the band's early recordings were collected on Mink Dress and Other Cuts, while a career-spanning collection was issued in 2006. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide