Search - Dismemberment Plan :: ! (Exclamation Mark)

Hardcore blast from The Plan's past

W. D. Rupy | Mestrino, PD, Italy | 06/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love the Plan's albums, listening to them is like going through old photos and realizing how much things have changed. But where many bands' earlier albums are their best and later ones less interesting, that's certainly not always the case. This musical 'baby photo' of The Plan, for instance, has all the earmarks of immaturity, from the muddy 'non-production' to the "kiss-my-axe-this-is-what-we-do" attitude of the band channeled through these raw, raucous and scatterbrained songs.
(don't expect any squeaky-clean J.Robbins production here!) But even 'back then', it's easy to recognize their unique approach to songcraft and catchy delivery. And while some of these songs can only be described as hardcore punk, not all of them sneer at you like Johnny Rotten and the Pistols - Travis and the boys throw in a little quieter introspection ("Rusty") and also some endearing TheyMightBeGiants- / Dead Milkmen-style humor ("Soon To Be Ex-Quaker"). Travis' singing was aahhhhem, 'not the greatest' back then, but I find this happy scrappy little CD to be one of my sentimental (with the accent on '-mental'!) favorites. And so must the band, because out of ALL their great tunes, guess which one they opened their Denver show on the 'Change' tour with? "Onward Fat Girl", from this here very CD! (Can you even IMAGINE a song titled 'onward fat girl' being anywhere NEAR 'Change'??! HA! This CD is priceless for its attitude alone!)"

Rough, Quirky, yet Oddly Catchy

gchs | 03/16/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This being the Dismemberment's Plan first release, it's easy to simply write it off as one of those awkward, unsure first attempts that doesn't hold a candle to their later work ("Pablo Honey" anyone?). However, despite (or because of) the caustic guitars, the frantic drum work, and half sung, half screeched vocals, the Dismemberment Plan's first record "!" is actually an insanely good record. Things start off with the venomous 'Survey Says', with Travis screaming like his life depended on it. 'OK Jokes Over' also hits on the same mark. Granted, they do sound a little bit like Brainiac, yet they still manage to put their on spin upon it. Time changes veer guitars from one point to another like a speeding car, drumming hits hard and fast, and Travis alternates from the sing-songy talk to an all out screech. They even change the mood up a bit with the shimmering 'If I Don't Write' and the half instrumental, half song 'Rusty'. Obviously, this record is not for the faint of heart, yet, hardcore fans will definetly want to pick this one up, if not for the music, than at least for posterity."

"!" indeed.

Plan | 08/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing Emergency & I, I had no idea what to expect from The Dismemberment Plan's older stuff. "!", their first LP is an explosion of post-punk (as they so immodestly call themselves) and fun and grooving and rhythm; with searing guitar riffs, divine bass lines and inventive, super fast drumming.



The lyrics have not quite evolved into bizarre, mesmerizing tales of love and memory erasing that you hear on Emergency & I, but they're still solid, and you can tell they're heading there with things like: "13th and Euclid / please help me / and the gun hangs between us / like a hangman".



This is a young, energetic Dismemberment Plan with a sense of emergency (har har) and humor. Really an excellent album, full of catchy songs and great choruses. For only 12 bucks, these twelve songs are worth all of your time and energy."