Speed The Plough Reignite In The Hear And “Now”
Originally based out of Hoboken New Jersey, Speed the Plough has always showed a penchant for, um, ploughing fertile terrain. Yet, despite more than three decades of making music behind them, the band had been feared for dead, given the lack of new material for most of the decade. 2013‘s The Plough & The Stars served as some remedy, at least in terms of a timely retrospective, but thankfully the aptly titled Now better suits the purpose. With most of the original membership still intact, it’s a dryer, darker display of their indie ethos, with only occasional glimpses of the dash and daring that characterized them early on. Nevertheless, it’s a thoughtful effort, with the few upbeat entries songs — “Garden” and “Telegraph” in particular — providing some much needed respite. The band find a certain stylistic kinship with REM, but happily, their singular stance is undeterred. Call it a comeback if you will, but it’s a doubtful that Now will nudge them any further into the limelight. That’s fine, of course; part of the band’s charm and allure lies in the fact they will n ever mainstream wannabes. May they always find comfort residing tidily in the shadows… the place where they rule.