''Plaza'' is the third studio album by American

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indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

band

Quilt A quilt is a multi-layered textile, traditionally composed of two or more layers of fabric or fiber. Commonly three layers are used with a filler material. These layers traditionally include a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding, a ...

, released on February 26, 2016 on

Mexican Summer Mexican Summer is an independent record label founded in 2009 by Keith Abrahamsson and Andres Santo Domingo. Based in Brooklyn, New York, the label has released recordings from artists including Best Coast, Kurt Vile, Ariel Pink, Allah-Las, Weye ...

Release

The album was preceded by the singles "Eliot St." and "Roller". A music video for "Roller" was released on February 11, 2016 and a music video for "Padova" was released on May 26, 2016.

Critical reception

''Plaza'' received favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At

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, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an

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score of 76, based on 14 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Zach Hollwedel of '' Under the Radar'' praised the album, stating, "From the opening riff in "Passerby" to the closing bars of "Own Ways," it is a record from another era, one that deepens and expands with each consecutive listen, as it recalls the likes of

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ac ...

and even, on occasion, later and trippier

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

. But for all its reverence of what's come before, the psych-rock album is as much a product of today as it is a throwback to flower power. ''Plaza'' is a richly layered, full-bodied record that impressively harnesses four-part harmonies and grade-A songwriting." Ross Jones of ''

DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...

'' gave the album a favorable review, stating, "In boldly delving into their pop sensibilities, the group have created an album that encompasses their intriguing convictions for different genres and refined it into a record of high quality." Heather Phares of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

gave the album a favorable review, stating, "Even if Quilt don't always find the answers they're looking for on ''Plaza'', they've found some of their most confident and cohesive music." Anna Gaca of ''

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'' was more critical of the album, stating, "None of ''Plaza'' is bad. It's carefully and competently constructed, palatable but perilously short on whimsy. The cover image, a drawing by the late Los Angeles contemporary artist Ken Price, is awfully easy on the eyes. But Quilt's newly straight-laced psych simply doesn't hold the interest of its current peers, whether it's

Amen Dunes Amen Dunes is the musical project formed by American singer-songwriter and musician Damon McMahon in 2006. McMahon has described Amen Dunes as both a solo project and a band "when it's in action." Frequent collaborators include guitarist and key ...

' drunken confessionals or

Widowspeak Widowspeak is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York City, United States. They are currently signed to Captured Tracks. The band consists of guitarist and vocalist Molly Hamilton and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas. History The band for ...

's dreamy intimacy. Folk-pop has moved on, while Quilt has evened out. They're still searching, but the mystery's already been solved." Graeme Marsh of

musicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...

gave the album an average review, stating, "Whilst '' Held in Splendor'' was seen as major progress, ''Plaza'' as a whole feels more like a band treading water in the middle of a psychedelic ocean wondering which way the land lies. It would be lazy to arrive at the conclusion that it's simply down to a gaping divide between those tracks led by Rochinski's sultry tones and those where the lead vocals come from her male companions, but it is strikingly obvious that those songs are where an appreciation for ''Plaza'' should probably begin."

Track listing

References

{{Authority control 2016 albums Quilt (band) albums Mexican Summer albums