New signing, new single... Plaza - 'In The Know'

Photo: Joe Spence

With the disbanding of Trash, Clue Records had a space to fill on their beautiful roster of bands from their base in Leeds and surrounding areas. Funnily enough, Plaza first came to my attention because of Trash and Clue Records so it’s incredibly fitting for Clue and Plaza to be finally working together.

If you haven’t listened to them before, Plaza are an act originating from the Hartlepool scene…which well, doesn’t really exist. So instead they’re often considered part of the Newcastle scene. Their original releases were beautiful indie rock tales of angsty youths with an unmatched mastery in their songwriting and composition. The amount of polish Plaza possess is incredible. Debuting with ‘Blood Orange’ the group showed their extreme talent with this Jaws-like banger. It displayed so much raw power building up before its explosion of a chorus.

Since then the band went on to release two singles and their debut EP ‘Wernotplaza’. Now the band are back with their first single of 2018, and hopefully not the last. ‘In The Know’ is a song that is definitely going to help put Plaza more firmly on the map. Opening with beautifully simple riffs and calm vocals, before bursting into an almost staple explosive chorus. Hints of Bloc Party and even DIIV come through as the track boasts a beautiful almost shoegazey amalgamation of all the instruments and lead Bradley Lennard’s strong vocals.

With ‘In The Know’ and their signing to Clue, perhaps we’re looking at another EP or even an album from the group.