Review of So Much For The Ten Year Plan (2000)

by Craig Young for earpollution (November 2000)

I’m usually apprehensive about ‘Greatest Hits’ albums, because more often than not it’s a road sign that the band in question has passed its creative zenith and is relying on a back catalog to pay for green fees at the local golf course. But in the case of Therapy?, who are still fighting the good fight ten years on from the start of the race, So Much For The Ten Year Plan ain’t so bad.

In fact, for a band who over the years had claims against them for changing their musical approach on each album (like change is wrong and should be discouraged), the songs on this retrospective flow rather seamlessly when taken as a whole.

In fact, for a band who over the years had claims against them for changing their musical approach on each album (like change is wrong and should be discouraged), the songs on this retrospective flow rather seamlessly when taken as a whole. What’s noticeably different between the tracks is the distinctive snare cracking of former drummer Fyfe Ewing, whose drum stool was filled a few years back by the quite capable Graham Hopkins. Not a buzz killer, just one of those things you notice.

So Much For The Ten Year Plan boasts two new tracks, Fat Camp and Bad Karma Follows You Around—the former a snarling feedback fest and the latter sounding a bit like the garage punk of Sweden’s The Hellacopters (a similarity I noticed on a few tracks off of T?’s previous release, Suicide Pact—You First).

Word has it that the mighty Therapy? will be recording a new album in January with the legendary Jack Endino manning the control board, which is definitely something to look forward to. In the meantime, So Much For The Ten Year Plan is a nice nugget of filler that should tide you over nicely, and further remind you why you should have their entire back catalog in your collection… including all those pesky singles that they so seem to love releasing.

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