Album Notes

The Plains is the new project of singer/songwriter Aaron Semer. The debut album, On Earth as it is in Heaven, is a mixture of country tinged rock anthems, minimalist folk tunes and a dose of Ennio Morricone influenced spaghetti westerns. Semer takes his listener on a poignant aural journey where one is transported across the landscapes of dying rural cities and a disillusioned minimum-wage work force. One senses not sympathy, but a deeper appreciation for the working class of America, which makes the album not only a critique of modern society, but also a celebration of life. These songs sit nicely beside more personal, heartfelt outpourings.

The album was recorded on 8 track reel-to-reel by John Randolph (Kinski, Hello From Waveland), mixed by Conrad Uno (Mudhoney, Posies), and mastered by Barry Corliss (Modest Mouse).

On Earth as it is in Heaven is being brought to the stage by a four piece. Their live shows have proven them an emotionally explosive and important up and coming band, mixing the energy of The Pixies with the Americana craftsmanship of Neko Case.

Review:

'Like Michigan transplant Rosie Thomas, 25-year-old [Toledo], Ohio native Aaron Semer is blessing Seattle with his presence before catapulting to mega-fame. And like Thomas, one listen to his upcoming debut (to be released on Mike Toschi's Global Seepej Records under the name The Plains) will convince you that he is a major, multifaceted, and eccentric talent. A listener feels as if these songs have always been there, waiting for someone to discover them. Imagine X's John Doe telling tales of office-tower drudgery and friends disappearing into addiction, "getting crushed by the garbage man" crossed with the hiphop-flavored drollery of Beck: "We were at a party, listening to rock and roll/drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana cigarettes," he narrates on one irresistible chorus.'
(Grant Cogswell, The Stranger, Seattle)