Planes Intersect is the sonic brainchild of current Digital Knife (Portland, OR) members Tristan Trotter and Ben Cosloy. Stellar guitarist Cosloy had been heard around town, axe-shredding and riff-spouting for Portland's Pogo Flippenstick. Looking for a partner-in-crime, or at least a partner-in-a-more-personal-songwriting-experiment, Cosloy's search led him to Last Day on Earth's vocalist/lyricist/drummer. Trotter's honey-baked voice and citrus lyrics lay comfortably beside some rib-cracking drumming, and the two minstrels clicked immediately. Together, they put their various skills and influences into the musical blender and pushed "mash it up".
In a nod, perhaps, to the roster idiosyncracies of yacht-rockers Steely Dan, Trotter and Cosloy's Fagen and Becker remain constant in the center of a revolving community of stupifyingly talented musicians. They have also initiated a Postal Service-esque trans-continental collaboration with Boston-area songwriter A.J. McCaffrey, who has lent his singing/writing/playing/jazz & tap-dancing to 2002's "Songs for Suicidal Lovers", Planes Intersect's debut album, as well an anticipated follow-up for 2007.
This shifting cast of characters has given Planes Intersect a unique and eclectic sound, expertly orchestrated by its co-founders. Gillian Welch and the Doobie Brothers mingle with Radiohead and Tears for Fears, with no reported incidents; electric guitars segue into Tibetan bowls and glass harmonicas; upright basses and vibraphones segue right back to samples, turntables, and Marshall stacks. Funky, rough, dark, intimate, and sweet; eerie and elegant. Check 'em out.
Ben, a real pleasure to get to finally meet you this weekend, let alone play with you. You're a mensch, and I hope we get to do it again. Best to Tristan and the kids...and that other guy, too...
WoW! New songs are so awesome and beautiful i just want to squeeze the life out of all of you.....well, you know what i mean! i really wish i could have seen you guys when i was in pdx. next time!
