SINGLE REVIEW: Plainview - "Breathe"
Plainview bring the gas with emo/hardcore banger “Breathe”
Written by JD Walker
Songs that are short, sweet, and to the point have the propensity of lighting the hardocre scene aflame and blazing a trail through playlists far and wide, and Plainview are no different. Their latest single, “Breathe”, clocks in at just over two minutes and gets the point flawlessly. “Breathe” is a heat-seeking missile of a song that’s easily addictive reinvents the classic emo/post-hardcore sound of the mid 2000’s.
“Breathe” wastes no time getting down to business - the song kicks in immediately with the verse riff capstone by high energy drumming of Chris Wilczewski and melodic , chiming leads complimented with gritty chugs from guitarists Aaron Rush and Chris Parker. Bassist Andrew Momeyer drove the song with a perfectly executed bassline that didn’t get too busy but opened up room for his bandmates to take the spotlight. Vocalist Steven Dechausse showcases a great range of cleans and screams with his singing during the chorus being reminiscent of the early post-hardcore acts that brought the genre to the limelight.
On top of being a wonderful, energetic song, the video for “Breathe” keeps the viewer’s eyes glued to the screen. While the video is only showcasing the performance of the band, the different color and lighting schemes as well as after effects and lens flares made for an entertaining viewing experience and captured the energy and drive of the song perfectly. The videographer’s attention to detail was immaculate, following the rests in the song perfectly and adding to the aspect of tension building that PlainView has in “Breathe”.
“Breathe” is everything a post-hardcore fan could ever hope for in a single from a relatively new band. The guitar work, rhythm section, and vocals are reminiscent of classic Underoath and Saosin. What’s more amazing is that the project was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. People spent their time during lockdown in a number of different ways, but PlainView maximized the time by launching a top-tier project that draws on the nostalgic factor of the aforementioned emo heavyweights while finding unexplored sounds in the classic genre that keeps the listener guessing what might come next.
Plainview are one of the bright spots of what was ultimately a trying time for the world - during the pandemic, the group released a debut 7-song EP titled “Stranded in a Somber Space” that calls on their influences and builds upon the ground that those bands forged. Of all the new bands that have surfaced over the past year, PlainView is without a doubt one of the most exciting to watch.