Montreal, Canada
At the dawn of their newly released album "Sitis", Plajia served up an alterno-acoustic flavored night Saturday, April 2, at Patro Vys, with their angelic-like sighs that sound both from instruments and vocals, that left this first time listener wondering who the heck they are and how quickly I can get my hands on their CD.

This MTL four-man band, which derived its name from the word "plagiarism's," wall of sound came from two electric guitars, bass, drums and the particularly penetrating and effective voice of Patrick Pleau's lead vocals. With influences from the likes of Radiohead to Pink Floyd, Plajia's sound is a lot like the classic 60's British invasion outfitted for the 21st century, creating a brand of dark, wonderfully powerful yet melodic blasts with a touch of trance that made the night a very listenable affaire.

Opening up the night and debuting in MTL was a fantastic true Canadian group out of Halifax called, The Art Of. Bringing something different to the table with their east-coast flavor, this four piece petal-rock ensemble combines rock guitars, percussions, keyboards, confidence, impressive lyrics, and truly competent songs, with an infectious sound that makes it catchy and addictive. It was obvious that their listeners enjoyed their music immediately. They are rock! Energetic, entertaining, and just plain cool. I got a chance to schmooze with some of the band members after the show and I was informed that they were currently working on their debut album, but in the meantime, you can download their music for free at www.theartof.info. So, if you were seeking proof that the Halifax music scene is still striving, look no further, The Art Of is a great representation of what's to come.

After visiting Plajia's site and having a chance to listen to the new album "Sitis", an eleven song, best of compilation from their last four releases, I had a chance to get a feel of what they're all about. Although various versions are different than their originals, the heart of all their songs still remains pure. Some are firmly planted in pop-rock while others are very much experimental and psychedelic. But the Simple, effervescent, short, psychedelic songs are what make this album something to behold and absolutely reflective of the group. These are the samplings which will grow into the Plajia that we will know in a way that leaves me hoping they continue to shine and earn some well-deserved recognition. Check out their site at www.plajia.com or to purchase the album visit cdbaby.com.