More You Becomes in Bloomington, MN

While it's hip for contemporary pop acts to toss out
Burt Bacharach
's name as an influence, few even remotely approximate the master's melodic savvy, emotional resonance and simple elegance;
Plush
's
Liam Hayes
comes much closer to the mark, with his debut
More You Becomes You
-- an intimate, often gorgeous collection of piano ballads -- recalling the handful of solo records
Bacharach
cut during the late 1960s. Gentle yet disarming, the record's only hint of irony is in its title --
Hayes
smartly favors a less-is-more approach, stripping his music of virtually everything but piano and vocals; both are more than adequate to convey the somber beauty which lends the album its seductive powers. ~ Jason Ankeny