Plush is Liam Hayes, a keyboardist, song- writer, singer and Mellotron fanatic. Unlike his highly orchestrated singles, we get no Mellotron on this outing - just Hayes mostly singing and playing piano. If you're thinking Elton John or Ben Folds, forget it. It is more like Leonard Cohen on downers - it's that sad, defeated loser mood that makes this work. As for recording, you may think it'd be easy, but you try micing a piano! And if he sang live to the piano, well you know... phase checks. Anyway, it does sound great - Albini, Weston and Konrad Strauss did a great job recording this and it was mastered at Abbey Road. The more I listen to this the more I'm drawn in. (Drag City, P.O. Box 476867, Chicago, IL 60647)
Music Reviews | No. 11
Secret Luminaries CD
by Larry Crane
There's several ways to run a commercial studio. You can be outspoken, you can be highly visible on the local "scene" or you can quietly stay in and do some great work. In Portland, I sometimes feel...