ill Manors- Plan B

7.5/10 
Rated: A Kind of Magic

A well done soundtrack of a film about London surviving and violence. Plan B is back with an album that is exactly what you expect about a sountrack and very narrative even have the little chats from the film that make it bit confusing but overall is a great album.At first the lead single 'ill Manors' made me laugh, to be honest sound kind of a joke,but turns out the album is better and stronger-


Determined to do something commercial but that doesn't have that massive consuption feeling and inspired by the 90's vibe of blending of rock and rap the songs are really enjoyable and good. Songs like ' Great Day For A Murder'  have that urban flow mixed with angry guitars and with a point of view, very old school and it does has that great sense that you're listening to music that probably is not the best but has something charming and gives and is quality and pure. And the same nice sensation of  listening to vintage styled tunes comes in many songs on the album like the brilliant and more poppy 'Playing With Fire (Featuring Labrinth)' or 'I Am The Narrator' which samples 'The Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium' and make it really good and familiar. There are also songs that have an vintage vibe but more modernized like 'Drug Dealer' ,with a circus beat,  and 'Pity The Plight' which is more like out from mid 00's with marvelous music.


Finally Plan B ditched the Michael Bubble style and the poppy
tunes and now delivers something more rappy and credible (more personal). Although it still a reminder in songs like the brilliant 'Deepest Shame' that has amazing music and is a bit of a slow down. There's also 'Live Once' which yet again has and very old 90's vibe is more positive but still is a reminder ,as-well, of previous Plan B albums. The songs released to date aside from first single,  'Falling Down' and  'Lost My Way', gives you a clue of the growth of Ben Drew career and describe slightly what the album is,a soundtrack of film based on hard life and songs narrate that superbly. 


Probably the most gutted and sincere Plan B work, which is weird because is about a film so is from a character perspective and not suppose to be very personal, but it is. Ben captured the feeling  of the movie and translate it to music that gives the same feeling. it haunts you and makes you create pictures or imagine the film. Ben took it seriously which is fantastic cause is so notorious, too much effort but good, a great story teller. At the end it let you a positive feeling of what doesn't kill you make you stronger and to not forget but to ditch off what doesn't set you free and start doing something.

Recommended: Playing With Fire, Deepest Shame, Live Once,Falling Down

Not so much: The Runaway