“Partnerships”, the debut album by Meanjin octet Plainer, has been yeeted in to the yawning void as of Friday, March 6th. They are, believe it or not, very proud of the work.
(You can “Pay What You Can” on Bandcamp, or check streaming - sans the worst major platform.)
Recorded and assembled in 2023-2024, the band has finally gotten over themselves, and is eager to share these six songs (and two lengthy introductions) with anyone still interested to hear them. Following the advance single “List” in 2024, this is the first long-form documentation of the band’s neo-classical slowcore bullshit, about which people have been unduly kind since their inception.
Having played alongside luminaries and heroes including Wednesday, Codeine, Alan Sparhawk, Florist, Papa M, Cash Savage, and Blue Divers, this album was apparently “intriguing” to three different labels - all of whom ended up not releasing it, oops. Instead, it is emerging as the first release on the “Season Three” imprint, named for the stalwart Meanjin DIY venue established and operated by band members Nick Smethurst and James Eyre Walker.
The band would love to release vinyl, but the album is very long, which means “expensive”. Maybe if you like it, they’ll do it? Entirely possible.
—
Plainer - “Partnerships” (S3001)
Recorded April 2023 on unceded Turrbal country, at So Soap studio, Kurilpa, Meanjin.
Additional recording at Season Three, Meanjin.
Engineered (and greatly reassured) by Jahan Kumarasinhe.
Mixed and terraformed by David Jerkovich at Balboa Recording, Los Angeles.
Mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market Mastering, Montreal.
Cover art by Rosa Chen/Gongchabae.
2023 recording photos by the band.
Plainer, Q4 2025, on Jacob Lane. It is very hard to get eight people in a room together - and even harder to make them all stand still for a photo. Thanks @timotreee for snapping these.
This is very kind praise from one of the loudest (“heh”) supporters of this project. Thank you, @convulsingman - all these comparisons are beyond generous. Go listen to Brendan yell at you, it’s a transcendent experience.
We’re so excited to play Overgrown festival this weekend - amazing lineup, and we absolutely love alternative venue spaces! Thanks so much for asking us along.
One last show before James moves south, and our performances become different for a bit. I guess it’s the only “album” show we’re doing for now, too. Excited that Margaret (a band named like a person), and Alsi (a person named like a band) have agreed to join us - they’re both incredible. Tickets at the link in bio, as they say. Thank you all for sticking with us.
(Poster by the amazing @velvetpaint !)
“Partnerships”, the debut Plainer album, will be released this Friday (March 6th) on almost all digital platforms. It’s Bandcamp friday that day, just by the way.
We recorded these six songs (and two long intros) live over the Easter weekend in 2023 (thank you Jahan), and took our time shaping all the sounds in to a cogent form (with many thanks to David Jerkovich/ @novisplit , who did the actual work). Plainer was different then, and is something else now - in spite of the passing time, we’re very proud of this work, as we are of what the band has grown into since we made it.
It’s designed to be listened to in one go, if you’re able. Bandcamp link is in the bio - physical release is possible, but we’re also focused on making the next one too. For now, thank you for waiting, and thanks in advance for listening.
(Cover art by Rosa / @g0ngchabae - thank you!)
Brooklyn/Sydney experimental duo Ground Patrol are playing some rare shows to launch their new record Converge. We’d love to see you at one of these shows:
Mon 09 Feb: Church St Studios, Sydney with @underwards
Thu 12 Feb: Lazybones Lounge, Sydney with @helutheband
Sun 22 Feb: Leadbeater Hotel, Melbourne with @squidnebula_ , Involve Online and Banksia
Mon 23 Feb: Bar 303, Melbourne with Factory House Band
Sat 28 Feb: Mirrorball Ministries, Brisbane with @_plainer , Joseph Rabjohns & Lachlan R. Dale and @pointeband
Tickets are are available now from tix.to/groundpatrol
🪼 Meanjin/Brisbane you’re in for an extra special one with @mlesprg next month. After the unfortunate loss of Emily’s voice mid tour last year the two sold out shows that we had planned at @seasonthreespace in Meanjin/Brisbane were sadly cancelled. This makes next months debut Florist show in the city an extra special one as we’ll be back at S3 (in their new spot) doing an arvo into the evening multi band show in the carpark out the back + featuring an incredible lineup of @rubymarygill@hana.stretton + local favourites (who were penned for last years show) @_plainer . We hope you can make it out, some things are worth the wait and we recon this show is bound to be even more special for that. THANKS to anyone who’s already jumped on and supported early with grabbing their tickets ~ it’s means so much to us ! Drop by our website for the finer details on this show and the rest of the Australian Tour 🧡
🎟️
Florist will now be joined at S3 by two incomparable touring artists - Ruby Gill and Hana Stretton - as well as S3 family band Plainer. We tried so hard to make last year’s sold-out show happen, but illness had other ideas. Thank you Shan/ @jbcmpresents for putting this unbelievable show together in response to those circumstances! 💐❤️
