Schism Benefits These Two Bands

The recent schism in Plankeye, one of Orange County’s most successful Christian alterna-rock bands, proves to have been productive on both sides.

Scott Silletta, lead singer on Plankeye’s first four albums, has jumped ship to play exuberant, Goo Goo Dolls-style, punk-tinged power pop as the leader of Fanmail.

Eric Balmer and Luis Garcia, Plankeye’s guitarist and bass player, take over the lead vocals capably for that group and deliver a new album that tacks mainly toward the more stately, inward, U2-anthem-informed side of the band’s earlier repertoire.

Fanmail and Plankeye are now solo and duo acts, respectively, with supporting musicians backing the members-in-charge.

Fanmail’s is the lighter, brisker, more grabbing listen. Silletta writes good hooks, sings them with rough-edged presence and tuneful bite, and applies good vocal harmonies to drive the choruses home.

While not abandoning a religious perspective, Fanmail pretty much limits its statements of faith to three songs and devotes some of the others to such comparatively whimsical subjects as rock-star ambitions, rock fans’ mania, and, in “Turn Off That Radio,” rock as a flag of adolescent rebelliousness.

There’s also a very odd song that snipes at Shirley MacLaine, and a heartfelt one about being a daddy. “Let Down,” a defiant punk-pop anthem, and “Happy Birthday,” a bittersweet acoustic ballad a la Paul Westerberg, reflect upon sundered relationships that may or may not have something to do with Silletta’s defection from Plankeye.

The pick of the bunch is “True Brand New,” an effervescent and energized boy-loves-girl song. Divine inspiration doesn’t hurt, either. “Messed Up,” “Lame” and “Wonderful Punches” are strong religious rockers about human fallibility in search of grace.

Meanwhile, Silletta’s old bandmates focus on songs of broken relationships and searches for spiritual awareness, deploying a layered sound to serve a far more contemplative outlook. Balmer’s singing is reedy and introspective, sounding at times like Jackson Browne trying to borrow some inflections from Bono. The playing throughout is crisp and nicely detailed.

“Goodbye,” a song about change so momentous that it’s like going through death, rises to a frayed, throaty cry that’s full of emotion.

“When It Comes” is a lovely ode to the restorative power of rock music, all warm currents and comforting words, with jangling and chiming guitars carried along on a forthright, surging beat.

Some of the songs can be taken as reflections on human-to-human disputes; the religious songs reflect a vision not unlike Silletta’s, but stated in more ornate musical terms.

The ballad “Break My Fall” does a nice job of placing spiritual yearnings in an earthly setting, as the narrator walks alone through a wintry landscape. Rippling, caressing guitar figures signal the hope that his prayer for divine support will be answered.

Plankeye does rock out a bit: “Break of Dawn” lets out frustrations with a “whoo-hoo” refrain that recalls Blur’s hit, “Song 2.” But most of it is music to absorb deliberately, compared to Fanmail’s quick, direct, snack packs of song.

--M.B.

* Plankeye, Filmore, Green & Yellow TV, Dear Mr. Peterson and Big Saver play tonightat Chain Reaction, 1652 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim. 7:30 p.m. $7. All ages. (714) 635-6067.

Albums are rated on a scale of * (poor) to **** (excellent), with *** denoting a solid recommendation.

Mike Boehm can be reached by e-mail at Mike.Boehm@latimes.com.