Fantastic Plastic

Album review

On paper, the revenge of the return of the Groovies might look frightening. Or, at least, it might inspire some doubts. Unless you're a gerontophile... But nevertheless, this grandiose group, which has been immensely underestimated, born in California in the mid-Sixties, and which would bring together the DNA of both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, still has something to say. Take it from us! Especially since Fantastic Plastic, which came out in the middle of Summer 2017 marks the reunion of Cyril Jordan, the founding guitarist, and Chris Wilson, the singer from 1971 to 1981, who had fallen out for thirty years... This reconciliation began in 2013, when the two sexagenarians patched things up on stage. Even better, they decided to put their heads together for a new record! And you have got to admit that what they came up with is hot stuff. Even if nothing here rivals the best of their great records of yore like Flamingo (1970), Teenage Head (1971) or Shake Some Action (1976), Jordan and Wilson have revived the yin and the yang of their music, both its pop and rock/rhythm’n’blues faces, with plenty, plenty of guitars à la Byrds, choruses with a vintage flavour and even two well-chosen covers, I Want You Bad by NRBQ and Don't Talk To Strangers by the Beau Brummels. In short, this is five-star rock'n'roll for oldies, anything but embarrassing - and actually pretty charming. © MZ/Qobuz