Toasted Plastic – “Shevell” (Stereogum Premiere)
Toasted Plastic hail from Ridgewood, NJ, the same upper-class suburb that bore Real Estate, and they share the same attribute that unites the best Jersey bands: an appreciation for what you have coupled with the frenetic sound of wanting to get out. I get it — I grew up in Jersey. I have a love/hate relationship with the place — you’re surrounded by so much culture, orbiting between two of the best cities in the world, but you’re always on the outside peeking in. You mess around and make your own fun but you always have to catch the train home at the end of the day. I’m not sure why “Shevell” has me talking about this, but I think it comes down to the way the song is structured: There’s an ebb and flow, a tension and release mechanism that unhinges throughout the song that reminds me of home. It’s tightly coiled math rock from a band that sound like they’re really just scratching the surface of what they can do. “Shevell” comes from the band’s new EP, TP/ST, their third effort following a debut EP in 2011 and a full-length last year. Listen below.
TP/ST will be self-released on 7/5. The band will also be starting a US tour in July.