REVIEW: PLAIINS - Happy Faces

Some bands take years to find their voice. PLAIINS crash through the door, already shouting. Their debut album Happy Faces is a brash, witty, and relentlessly energetic blast of British punk spirit with just enough indie swagger to keep things unpredictable. Recorded in Hamburg but rooted firmly in the grit, humour, and chaos of the UK scene, it is the kind of record that feels like a night out gone slightly off the rails; in the best way possible.

The band, made up of Chris Reardon on vocals and guitar, Timon Lanzinger on bass, David Suhlrie on drums, and Florian Kaninck on guitar, have been building momentum since forming in late 2020. They have shared stages with everyone from Press Club to ITCHY, dropped more than twenty tracks, and landed features on BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, and Kerrang! Magazine. With that kind of pace, you might expect a debut album to feel like a greatest hits round-up. Instead, Happy Faces feels like a proper statement of intent: loud, clever, and bursting with personality.

The opening title track wastes no time in setting the tone. It barrels in with jagged guitar riffs, a rhythm section that pushes everything forward, and vocals that shift between shout-along choruses and sly, rhythmic verses. Chris Reardon’s choice to lean into his natural English accent rather than an Americanised delivery makes the whole thing hit harder; it is conversational, but also confrontational. It sounds like someone telling you a joke that also happens to be true.

'Dirty Fish' and 'Be More Animal' keep the momentum high, leaning into the band’s punk backbone but sneaking in indie hooks that keep you humming along even after the tracks end. There is polish here, but only just enough to keep things from flying completely off the rails. The rest is wild-eyed energy and the kind of riffs that kick down the door whether you invite them in or not. By the time you hit 'Hotel Biscuits', you realise PLAIINS have a knack for turning the ridiculous into the memorable. The title sounds like a throwaway gag, but the delivery makes it something you will be chanting the next time you are stuck in traffic. That is a running theme across Happy Faces. The humour is immediate, but there is always something sharper underneath. 'Amazon Warehouse' and 'Do One' push harder into that lyrical bite. These songs still come dressed in scrappy riffs and pounding drums, but there is no mistaking the commentary hiding between the lines. They feel like they are written in the moment, fuelled by the kind of conversations that start light and end in half-serious rants.

Then there is 'Executive Me', which stands out as one of the album’s most intriguing tracks. The band have joked that it could be a psychological thriller in song form, and they are not wrong. It is tense and slightly unhinged, building a sense of unease before exploding into its chorus. This is PLAIINS at their most cinematic, without losing their rough edges. In the middle of the record, 'Beef Cake' and 'Sports Bar' are pure fun. They feel like sketches of exaggerated characters you might meet on a Saturday night, delivered with a wink but grounded in a reality you recognise. It is here that you feel the band’s ability to balance cartoonish energy with songs that still work on a straight rock level.

The final stretch shows a little more range. 'Row She Said' has a darker, more melodic feel, while 'C’est La Vie' bounces between sardonic humour and something approaching sincerity. 'Special K' kicks the tempo back up before 'Four AM' winds things down with a looser, almost reflective close. It is the kind of ending that feels like walking home after a long night, half-smiling, half-thinking about everything that just happened. Underneath all that chaos though, there is a clear vision. Reardon has said the band wanted the album to be coherent, characterful, and fun while still having depth. That paper bag metaphor he uses, smiling face on the outside, something more complex underneath, fits perfectly. The songs are accessible and often silly on the surface, but they also reward closer listening. The humour makes the serious moments hit harder, and the energy means even the heavier subjects never feel weighed down.

Production-wise, the album is tight without sanding down its rough edges. Working with producer Manuel Renner at Ueberlaerm Studios, the band have kept a live, in-the-room feel. The drums were recorded at Sound Pauli in Hamburg, and you can hear the air in the room when they hit. The guitars are crunchy and immediate, the bass has real bite, and the vocals are front and centre without overpowering the mix. It sounds like a band having fun but taking the craft seriously.

For a debut, Happy Faces is confident without being overblown. It is punk at its core, but the indie and rock influences keep it varied. Fans of IDLES, The Hives, Soft Play, Bad Nerves, The Streets, and Viagra Boys will find plenty to enjoy here, but PLAIINS never sound like they are imitating anyone. They have a voice of their own; loud, funny, and unafraid to poke at anything that catches their eye. It is rare to find a record that can make you laugh out loud one moment and then land an unexpectedly thoughtful line the next, yet Happy Faces manages it over and over again. It is a debut that feels lived in, like a band who know exactly who they are and have no interest in toning it down for anyone.

Score: 9/10

Happy Faces was released on August 15th 2025 via Long Branch Records.

Words: Kelly Gowe

Photos: PLAIINS