Fed

Released

The 180-degree flipside to the late-night minimalism of More You Becomes You, the debut Plush album, Fed is an also so elaborate and lush that it can almost overwhelm, at times. It also risked being overwhelmed by its mythology: spiralling production costs; wild ambition; endless studio sessions. When it was eventually released, initially in Japan only, everything made sense. Here, Liam Hayes is aiming for the kind of ecstatic, vibrant soul-inflected pop that made music from the late sixties and early seventies feel so melodically extravagant. Its mood shifts from spooked requiems (“No Education”) to Paul McCartney-esque meanderings (“So Blind”) through joyous pop anthems (“Greyhound Bus Station”) and ballads, like “Born Together”, that are pure Laura Nyro.

Jon Dale

Recommended by