Plow United / Marching Band / Jump Start Records If you’re skeptical of bands that break up, take long hiatuses, and then reform to do reunion tours, you should be. It’s a terrible trend that too many bands are cashing in on. And for the most part, they end terribly. The band that comes back is never the one you remember. They’re usually slower, lamer, and more concerned with mortgage payments than when they left. So when Plow United, a thrashy pop punk band that formed in high school, ended their 13-year hiatus to put out a new album, it raised a red flag. Marching Band starts on an all too light and poppy note with its opening song, “Human 2000.” And upon hearing it, you immediately regret your decision to give reunited bands a chance and start wondering how much your record collection would be worth on eBay. But after 1:15, it’s over, and almost as if it was a ruse, the band immediately and forcefully jumps back into their old selves. The rest of Marching Band, for the most part, sounds like it could’ve been ripped from the band’s late 90s catalog. Some of the songs are actually faster and more aggressive than Plow’s original material. A lot of credit is due here to Plow United. Pop punk is not typically a genre that matures well. Because it’s not meant to. It’s meant to stay dopey and juvenile forever. Pop punk should be associated with bad hair/fashion choices and chasing after someone who, in hindsight, had no romantic interest in you. It’s sort of funny to see a bunch of dudes in their mid-30s rehashing their pop punk sound but amazingly, Plow was able to maintain the sensibilities of their teen years. And they drive that point home with lyrics like, “We’ve got no future, we might as well act like it.” Plow United is one of the only bands that have successfully reunited without missing much of a beat. And while Marching Band is distinguishable by its slightly more professional recording and production value, not much else about the band has changed. And that’s a good thing. reviewed by Dan Ozzi
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