Hannah Coleman, Music and Literature journalist, Atlanta, US

MUSIC REVIEW: PLAYOFF ROCK-TEAM

Everyone has a favorite band; everyone has the dream that they meet their favorite artist. Some people are luckier than others and might have a chance meeting with said artist on the street. Others pine for the moment they see their idol somewhere besides on the television screen. For some this dream is far off and invisible. For me, it happened just last week. I’ve often been told I have odd taste-opting for pop songs sung in French over Britney Spears (I personally think I made a grand choice there). So perhaps you won’t recognize the name PLAYOFF, a rock-team from Odessa. I didn’t know the name until three years ago after my grandparents brought home a CD they had been given on a trip to Odessa, Ukraine where they had met PLAYOFF and received their CD “Eternal Spring”. A mix between soft guitar and catchy, insightful lyrics, the CD soon became my favorite.

A perfect way to describe who and what PLAYOFF is the fact that they arrange football (soccer) matches between themselves and their fans after each concert.

Now for a little substantial history on the band. Dmitriy Smirnov began PLAYOFF in March of 2002. “I met a guy who was playing in a band at that time,” he said “And it turned out that a vocalist and a drummer were missing there. So I came and we started to rehearse.” But fame is not that easy to obtain, and over the next two years the band worked hard to become recognized by the public playing gigs in local cafes and community centers until going on tour in 2007 to 22 Ukrainian cities. PLAYOFF is still not well known all over the Ukraine, “We’re not famous yet. Some local magazines and newspapers wrote a couple of articles about PLAYOFF.”

As for coming to the United States the band is still hopeful. “Since most our songs are in English, it would be natural to sing them for native speakers who’d understand the lyrics,” Smirnov said. “I would be happy to perform in the United States and England… In terms of the standard of recording studios and music business in general, your country [the US] is one of the leaders.” Many of PLAYOFF’s songs relate real life experiences, hopes, dreams, love, and wishes. The songs are ones that people can easily relate to and dance along to. A mix between surf-rock and sixties inspired bubble gum pop PLAYOFF is bound to get your head bobbing and bring a smile to your face. With lyrics such as “And though sometimes it's going moody. So frantic and bizarre. They keep saying we go crazy. And we are for sure,” PLAYOFF steals your heart and makes the worst day better. You would not be mistaken in buying their CD.

If you would like to correspond with the band go to their website at http://www.playoff.com.ua. Coming in 2008 are new songs by PLAYOFF, which will show a new side of the group and hopefully attract more fans.

30th April 2008