Plush - Plush
On the surface, all-female US rock band Plush could be categorised as a corporate artifice comprising reality show contestants and social media influencers.
And that’s because the focal point of the band, pocket rocket singer, songwriter and guitarist Moriah Formica, is best known for her Audition appearances on NBC’s version of The Voice at only 16 (she is also the only NBC’s The Voice contestant to get all four chairs turned performing a rock-based song – Heart’s 'Crazy on You').
Couple that with the fact drummer Brooke Colucci, as Brooke C and under her rockangel moniker, has a number of viral videos totalling over 14 million video views, and it’s easy to see how such a reality rock view can be taken.
However the truth of the musical matter is this is a formidable, all still under 21 band in their own right – Moriah Formica has one hell of a voice, Brooke Colucci is a powerful and precise drummer, lead guitarist (and backing vocalist) Bella Perron attends Berklee College of Music thank you very much and bass player Ashley Suppa has been described as the "female version of Cliff Burton."
Further, as evidenced on their self-titled debut album produced by Johnny K (Staind, 3 Doors Down, Disturbed), Plush are a great rock band who could become an exceptional one.
In Moriah Formica the band has a vocal ace up their collective sleeve. Miss Formica’s vocals soar and impress from the outset and there is enough variety in the material to interest both the traditional rock fan base and, via their highly contemporary hard rock-metal sound, draw in a new, younger and potentially larger female audience.
Apart from the seriously impressive vocals the band are also very capable instrumentally and nail that metal edged "rock sound."
The album kicks off (and kicks down the studio doors) with 'Athena,' which opens with subtly flanged guitars before delivering a huge riff and a chorus extolling Goddess of Love virtues ("I’m your Athena!")
There’s then a change of gear with a grunge-influenced section before returning to the chorus of what is a cleverly arranged, and very strong, opening number.
'Champion' also impresses with its slower riff and big chorus, but the "hey!" shouts and lines such as "fire in the sky, never be denied!" are lowest common denominator rock lyricism (and only Queen could ever get away with a sing-a-long title line of "We Are the Champions").
However by way of recompense Moriah Formica’s vocals over the Metallica-esque middle 8 are nothing short of astonishing.
'Hate,' one of the best songs on the album, is melodic metal, grunge and Metallica in equal measure.
Moriah Formica’s vocal again soars (with a highly impassioned delivery on an angry lyric about lost love and betrayal) complemented by a very short but perfectly fitting guitar solo (there are also similarities here to the sadly neglected and short-lived Saraya, who ploughed a similar furrow).
And that’s because the focal point of the band, pocket rocket singer, songwriter and guitarist Moriah Formica, is best known for her Audition appearances on NBC’s version of The Voice at only 16 (she is also the only NBC’s The Voice contestant to get all four chairs turned performing a rock-based song – Heart’s 'Crazy on You').
Couple that with the fact drummer Brooke Colucci, as Brooke C and under her rockangel moniker, has a number of viral videos totalling over 14 million video views, and it’s easy to see how such a reality rock view can be taken.
However the truth of the musical matter is this is a formidable, all still under 21 band in their own right – Moriah Formica has one hell of a voice, Brooke Colucci is a powerful and precise drummer, lead guitarist (and backing vocalist) Bella Perron attends Berklee College of Music thank you very much and bass player Ashley Suppa has been described as the "female version of Cliff Burton."
Further, as evidenced on their self-titled debut album produced by Johnny K (Staind, 3 Doors Down, Disturbed), Plush are a great rock band who could become an exceptional one.
In Moriah Formica the band has a vocal ace up their collective sleeve. Miss Formica’s vocals soar and impress from the outset and there is enough variety in the material to interest both the traditional rock fan base and, via their highly contemporary hard rock-metal sound, draw in a new, younger and potentially larger female audience.
Apart from the seriously impressive vocals the band are also very capable instrumentally and nail that metal edged "rock sound."
The album kicks off (and kicks down the studio doors) with 'Athena,' which opens with subtly flanged guitars before delivering a huge riff and a chorus extolling Goddess of Love virtues ("I’m your Athena!")
There’s then a change of gear with a grunge-influenced section before returning to the chorus of what is a cleverly arranged, and very strong, opening number.
'Champion' also impresses with its slower riff and big chorus, but the "hey!" shouts and lines such as "fire in the sky, never be denied!" are lowest common denominator rock lyricism (and only Queen could ever get away with a sing-a-long title line of "We Are the Champions").
However by way of recompense Moriah Formica’s vocals over the Metallica-esque middle 8 are nothing short of astonishing.
'Hate,' one of the best songs on the album, is melodic metal, grunge and Metallica in equal measure.
Moriah Formica’s vocal again soars (with a highly impassioned delivery on an angry lyric about lost love and betrayal) complemented by a very short but perfectly fitting guitar solo (there are also similarities here to the sadly neglected and short-lived Saraya, who ploughed a similar furrow).
The weighty but melodic 'I Found a Way' finds Moriah Formica dialling it back a bit vocally on a song that carries a great ear-worm chorus; similarly structured and equally effective is 'I Don’t Care,' which sports a clever time signature, a clutch of "woah-oh-ohs" and another memorable chorus.
'Sober' finally drops the intensity with its slower tempo and acoustic introduction.
Another album highlight, 'Sober' builds very effectively and features very well sung vocal harmonies.
'Better Off Alone' is another well-crafted number with some good rhythmic ideas during the verses while following brace, the downtempo 'Sorry' and the more atmospheric/ darker 'Why do I Even Try' carry shades of a more angst-driven Avril Lavigne (both work extremely well as vehicles for the powerful and searching voice of Moriah Formica).
'Bring Me Down' and 'Don’t Say That' are a contemporary take on the somewhat mandatory iPhones in the air atmos-ballads; both are highly effective however courtesy of big hook-line choruses and, again, impressive vocal displays (in both cadence and phrasing) from Moriah Formica.
'Will Not Win' then returns to the big slab riff template (with a quieter bridge to the chorus, where the band kicks it up again) before the album closes out with the anthemic rise & fall of 'Walk Away,' the song’s quieter and slower passages giving way to ramped up tempos and powerful, lyrically defiant vocals.
If there are criticisms to be made it’s the slippage into hackneyed lyrics (the aforementioned 'Champion' is the worst offender); but then they’re not alone in that regard when it comes to the rock genre.
Also, we get that Moriah Formica can sing (and then some), so it doesn’t have to be delivered at 11 on a 10 scale in just about every song.
However make no mistake, this is an exceptionally strong debut album and with a little more light and shade, and sense of dynamics, Plush could become a rock and roll revelation, such is the potential.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Plush will be released on 29th October on Pavement Entertainment.
Pre-order album and merch bundles at https://www.pavementmusic.com/campaign/plush/
'Sober' finally drops the intensity with its slower tempo and acoustic introduction.
Another album highlight, 'Sober' builds very effectively and features very well sung vocal harmonies.
'Better Off Alone' is another well-crafted number with some good rhythmic ideas during the verses while following brace, the downtempo 'Sorry' and the more atmospheric/ darker 'Why do I Even Try' carry shades of a more angst-driven Avril Lavigne (both work extremely well as vehicles for the powerful and searching voice of Moriah Formica).
'Bring Me Down' and 'Don’t Say That' are a contemporary take on the somewhat mandatory iPhones in the air atmos-ballads; both are highly effective however courtesy of big hook-line choruses and, again, impressive vocal displays (in both cadence and phrasing) from Moriah Formica.
'Will Not Win' then returns to the big slab riff template (with a quieter bridge to the chorus, where the band kicks it up again) before the album closes out with the anthemic rise & fall of 'Walk Away,' the song’s quieter and slower passages giving way to ramped up tempos and powerful, lyrically defiant vocals.
If there are criticisms to be made it’s the slippage into hackneyed lyrics (the aforementioned 'Champion' is the worst offender); but then they’re not alone in that regard when it comes to the rock genre.
Also, we get that Moriah Formica can sing (and then some), so it doesn’t have to be delivered at 11 on a 10 scale in just about every song.
However make no mistake, this is an exceptionally strong debut album and with a little more light and shade, and sense of dynamics, Plush could become a rock and roll revelation, such is the potential.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Plush will be released on 29th October on Pavement Entertainment.
Pre-order album and merch bundles at https://www.pavementmusic.com/campaign/plush/