Music / Features
Track by Track:
Plaster of Paris - Lost Familiar
Plaster of Paris - Lost Familiar
Despite being a name around town since 2015, Plaster of Paris only released their debut album Lost Familiar this June - however, the result is a powerful and important maiden statement that was well worth the wait. Creating an abbreviated post-punk and riot grrl sound, with regular bursts of brass, the trio have affirmed their authenticity through their new LP that critiques contemporary, toxic social structures and ignites discussion for societal change.
Opening the 11-track account is ‘Danceflaw’, a track written from the USA when the country’s deadliest mass shooting – that has been documented - up until that point, had just taken place. To this date, the attack that occurred in a night club in Orlando, Florida is still the deadliest targeted shooting of the LGBTIQ+ community in the USA, with 50 wounded and 49 dead. Layering the refrain of “politics are red on the danceflaw” echoed throughout the song is a sturdy bassline and a brass section synonymous with a marching gait; the latter contributing to the significance of the bands ‘I will survive’ attitude omnipresent throughout the preliminary song. As the album continues, a celebratory sound ensues. The song ‘Mary’ is equal parts an ode to multi-instrumentalist Mary Timony and an established narrative empowering the support of female creatives.
Weaving its way onwards, Lost Familiar introduces the track ‘Oh Wow’, and with it a controlling guitar melody sonically surges along. Complimenting the overarching guitar is lead vocalist Zec’s sentiments upon discovering the truth behind the governments and corporation’s control over society’s health. As illness is perpetuated as a means of making money, Plaster of Paris’ analysis of this situation moulds itself into the disposition of an earworm.
The evocation of the lyrical and instrumental harmonisation leads on; however, the overall sound darkens and elicits a more introspective attitude as the band discusses internalised fear relating to personal safety in public. This is exemplified in the track ‘Internalise’. With a slow and erratic drumbeat illuminating the next track ‘S.O.E’, Plaster of Paris dial up the tone of the guitar and superimpose the melody with lyrics exclaiming the world’s state of emergency. Following on from an elongated and distorted guitar outro, the next song – ‘Monsoon’ – erupts into fast and brief guitar picks, overlaid with a propelling drum beat and a vast vocal range. Another tribute to female creatives who have been undeniably influential takes its form in ‘Allison’ as the velocity of guitar and percussion increases.
‘Bizznizz’ dissects the unnecessary and quite ridiculous nature of operations within Silicon Valley tech companies. Laden with saxophone, groovy basslines and elongated vocals, the track takes a diversion from the previous sound of the album establishing a fun and energetic song that nonetheless appraises a rather dominant aspect of Western society. In a tribute to punk rock, the short, snappy and bold nature of ‘Statues’ dismantles the notion of male heroism and its fortified place in western society. A short-lived 67 seconds concludes abruptly, before an oxymoronic controlled frenzy commences, with the penultimate track ‘In Motion’ educing the innate nature of creatives to continually deconstruct established norms through their artistry.
Rounding out the album is the final track ‘Newcomer’, a distorted guitar melody that serves as the foundation for an explorative journey that the female protagonist has found themself following. To dig a little deeper into Lost Familiar, Plaster of Paris have very kindly walked us through the album one track at a time, talking us through each serious theme that resides throughout the record as well as each tribute to the female musicians they love.
Weaving its way onwards, Lost Familiar introduces the track ‘Oh Wow’, and with it a controlling guitar melody sonically surges along. Complimenting the overarching guitar is lead vocalist Zec’s sentiments upon discovering the truth behind the governments and corporation’s control over society’s health. As illness is perpetuated as a means of making money, Plaster of Paris’ analysis of this situation moulds itself into the disposition of an earworm.
The evocation of the lyrical and instrumental harmonisation leads on; however, the overall sound darkens and elicits a more introspective attitude as the band discusses internalised fear relating to personal safety in public. This is exemplified in the track ‘Internalise’. With a slow and erratic drumbeat illuminating the next track ‘S.O.E’, Plaster of Paris dial up the tone of the guitar and superimpose the melody with lyrics exclaiming the world’s state of emergency. Following on from an elongated and distorted guitar outro, the next song – ‘Monsoon’ – erupts into fast and brief guitar picks, overlaid with a propelling drum beat and a vast vocal range. Another tribute to female creatives who have been undeniably influential takes its form in ‘Allison’ as the velocity of guitar and percussion increases.
‘Bizznizz’ dissects the unnecessary and quite ridiculous nature of operations within Silicon Valley tech companies. Laden with saxophone, groovy basslines and elongated vocals, the track takes a diversion from the previous sound of the album establishing a fun and energetic song that nonetheless appraises a rather dominant aspect of Western society. In a tribute to punk rock, the short, snappy and bold nature of ‘Statues’ dismantles the notion of male heroism and its fortified place in western society. A short-lived 67 seconds concludes abruptly, before an oxymoronic controlled frenzy commences, with the penultimate track ‘In Motion’ educing the innate nature of creatives to continually deconstruct established norms through their artistry.
Rounding out the album is the final track ‘Newcomer’, a distorted guitar melody that serves as the foundation for an explorative journey that the female protagonist has found themself following. To dig a little deeper into Lost Familiar, Plaster of Paris have very kindly walked us through the album one track at a time, talking us through each serious theme that resides throughout the record as well as each tribute to the female musicians they love.
Danceflaw
We were in LA the night of the Orlando Florida shootings. There was a heavy feeling and the LGBTIQ+ community were quite afraid because we didn’t know if it was a one-off event or part of something more targeted. The following morning was LA Pride and shops were closed with notes pinned to the doors in solidarity to the community and mourning the lives lost. We headed to a famous gay bar in West Hollywood, to support community businesses who lost out for Pride weekend. On arrival, press and TV cameras surrounded the area, in an almost macabre way. We had a drink under a huge rainbow flag and talked about the gay bars, nightclubs and dancefloors. Sacred spaces for meeting chosen family, to be authentically queer and because it is where we often shape our politics and activism, and this heinous attack was such an affront to that. It was a heavy day, but it also felt galvanizing as a community. It’s like our “I will survive” anthem. “No, I wont go quietly!”
We were in LA the night of the Orlando Florida shootings. There was a heavy feeling and the LGBTIQ+ community were quite afraid because we didn’t know if it was a one-off event or part of something more targeted. The following morning was LA Pride and shops were closed with notes pinned to the doors in solidarity to the community and mourning the lives lost. We headed to a famous gay bar in West Hollywood, to support community businesses who lost out for Pride weekend. On arrival, press and TV cameras surrounded the area, in an almost macabre way. We had a drink under a huge rainbow flag and talked about the gay bars, nightclubs and dancefloors. Sacred spaces for meeting chosen family, to be authentically queer and because it is where we often shape our politics and activism, and this heinous attack was such an affront to that. It was a heavy day, but it also felt galvanizing as a community. It’s like our “I will survive” anthem. “No, I wont go quietly!”
Mary
A medieval, mythical story of an Aussie coven of women, in the cover of darkness, the imaginary ‘Book of She’, planning the revolution, destroying the joint, creating art and music. Modern day witches doing secret women’s business. And some referencing to our guitar heroine baroque indie goddess Mary Timony from Helium/Ex Hex, and her love of spells and goblins.
Oh Wow
The original first single recorded by the incredible Casey Rice. The vocals were a first take with thunderstorm asthma preventing Zec singing overdubs. Thematically, it uncovers an awakening to buried lies: “Everything I thought real, I’m kicking back against”. Lyrically, the track touches on a feeling of powerlessness and lack of control over your own body, through invisible, silent chronic illness. “I can't control, breathing in this coal, straight through my bones. I watch it unfold”. It’s an ‘Oh Wow’ moment when you begin to learn the truth about government endorsed chemical production, modern food consumption, farming, big pharma and links to chronic illness. The ‘health and wellbeing’ industry, driven by the same corporations handing out drugs with the right hand, then dolling out herbs to heal with the left hand.
Internalise
A song about internalising fear around personal safety in so called public spaces that also touches on internalised misogyny in its subtext. There are many people in this world that can’t walk around without fear of violence. So many people cannot enjoy outdoor spaces, can’t walk home safely, can’t wear headphones at night, can’t be free to wear what they want and not get hassled. These fears become internalised, and we don’t realise that we are avoiding spaces, mapping routes for safety and tensing our senses constantly. It’s emotionally draining to live this way and the song shines a light on this and the strength and determination it can take just to be outside. Shoutout to engineer Paul Maybury for knocking this shimmering guitar out of the park in the studio.
A medieval, mythical story of an Aussie coven of women, in the cover of darkness, the imaginary ‘Book of She’, planning the revolution, destroying the joint, creating art and music. Modern day witches doing secret women’s business. And some referencing to our guitar heroine baroque indie goddess Mary Timony from Helium/Ex Hex, and her love of spells and goblins.
Oh Wow
The original first single recorded by the incredible Casey Rice. The vocals were a first take with thunderstorm asthma preventing Zec singing overdubs. Thematically, it uncovers an awakening to buried lies: “Everything I thought real, I’m kicking back against”. Lyrically, the track touches on a feeling of powerlessness and lack of control over your own body, through invisible, silent chronic illness. “I can't control, breathing in this coal, straight through my bones. I watch it unfold”. It’s an ‘Oh Wow’ moment when you begin to learn the truth about government endorsed chemical production, modern food consumption, farming, big pharma and links to chronic illness. The ‘health and wellbeing’ industry, driven by the same corporations handing out drugs with the right hand, then dolling out herbs to heal with the left hand.
Internalise
A song about internalising fear around personal safety in so called public spaces that also touches on internalised misogyny in its subtext. There are many people in this world that can’t walk around without fear of violence. So many people cannot enjoy outdoor spaces, can’t walk home safely, can’t wear headphones at night, can’t be free to wear what they want and not get hassled. These fears become internalised, and we don’t realise that we are avoiding spaces, mapping routes for safety and tensing our senses constantly. It’s emotionally draining to live this way and the song shines a light on this and the strength and determination it can take just to be outside. Shoutout to engineer Paul Maybury for knocking this shimmering guitar out of the park in the studio.
S.O.E
Initially written around the time of the horrific fires in Australia when our Prime Minister was on holiday, and we could barely breathe the air from choking smoke. There is climate emergency mixed with health emergency in the lyrics. The country is on fire AND the body is on fire with inflammation in the lungs. Australia was in a literal State of Emergency. Our government wasn’t responding appropriately or compassionately so the community needed to donate, to protect, to ‘fire up’. While it started with the fires it was finished in the studio a year later around March 2020 amongst the BLM riots, Trump election madness and the beginnings of the Covid crisis. It became a global State of Emergency. Highlighted with siren-like keys by special guest Amy Chapman helping to capture the urgency and Zec’s huge vocal power a call to action for the community. It’s a transmission to the community (not a community transmission).
Monsoon
Work, the daily grind, gentrification, homogenization, being overcommitted and underpaid. The seed of this song was written when Zec worked and lived in Darwin. As the year unfolds Darwin’s weather gets stickier and more intense and it literally starts making people go mad during “the build up”. It’s the build up to monsoon and when it finally rains the relief in the entire Top End is immense. The song is about pressure, expectation and what could end up total collapse or total relief.
Allison
An all-out tribute to riot grrl and music icon Allison Wolf from Bratmobile. A kind, generous and hugely influential person, a peer and a friend and someone who at the time of writing we felt needed more dues. She’s a writer, an educator, a performer and an archiver of women’s punk rock history and a constant inspiration.
Bizznizz
Crafted around Sarah’s funky bassline, this track was inspired by The Slits or late 70s punk sound. It’s an anomaly to the rest of the live set without bass, so by the time people are wondering where our bass player is, they’re already throwing a few shapes. On the recording, we added guitar and baritone saxophone, thanks to guest Maddy Mac because, why not?! Zec read Emily Chang’s book Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys Club of Silicone Valley and was fixing to critique toxic male startups. The song talks about tech companies, corporate attire, calling a meeting, call-to-actions. Busy workers creating more busy-ness so they feel like they are ‘doing business.’ The outfits, the large coffee cups, the laptops, the hot desks, the filtered water, the fluorescent lights, the endless meetings, meetings, meetings to “search engine optimise ME”.
Statues
We were watching the Kardashian’s one day and Kim is looking in the mirror when her sister poses the question, “If you were a man what would you do?” The answer was pure Kardashian (look it up). Overtime, the song’s themes morphed from the ridiculous to investigate the more serious theme of tearing down statues, rejecting historic ‘heroism’, rewriting patriarchal, colonial history and pulling down barriers. But there is an understanding that if you cut off one head, another head grows and it is the systems that need to change, an entire dismantling of worship and historical memory. It’s also a punk-rock, reflexive Patti Smith's 'Pissing In A River' moment that takes a satirical look at the state of the world through the male uptake of urban spaces, and their erections taking up space.
In Motion
We are constantly in motion. Nature takes over our cities, and our bodies. This breaking down of the self over time, questions nature vs nurture by collapsing binaries and ideologies. As artists we channel this movement through creativity “even with the lights out” and it moves us towards our authentic self. If you dare.
Newcomer
Finding your Lost Familiar. An Australiana Gothic tale of discovery, “panning for gold, turning every precious stone” to find your true self. A spaghetti western with a female protagonist. Think books and films like Tracks, Wild and Nomadland… wandering women, searching for meaning, self, family and often leaving intergenerational trauma behind. “Seeking out the higher notes”.
Initially written around the time of the horrific fires in Australia when our Prime Minister was on holiday, and we could barely breathe the air from choking smoke. There is climate emergency mixed with health emergency in the lyrics. The country is on fire AND the body is on fire with inflammation in the lungs. Australia was in a literal State of Emergency. Our government wasn’t responding appropriately or compassionately so the community needed to donate, to protect, to ‘fire up’. While it started with the fires it was finished in the studio a year later around March 2020 amongst the BLM riots, Trump election madness and the beginnings of the Covid crisis. It became a global State of Emergency. Highlighted with siren-like keys by special guest Amy Chapman helping to capture the urgency and Zec’s huge vocal power a call to action for the community. It’s a transmission to the community (not a community transmission).
Monsoon
Work, the daily grind, gentrification, homogenization, being overcommitted and underpaid. The seed of this song was written when Zec worked and lived in Darwin. As the year unfolds Darwin’s weather gets stickier and more intense and it literally starts making people go mad during “the build up”. It’s the build up to monsoon and when it finally rains the relief in the entire Top End is immense. The song is about pressure, expectation and what could end up total collapse or total relief.
Allison
An all-out tribute to riot grrl and music icon Allison Wolf from Bratmobile. A kind, generous and hugely influential person, a peer and a friend and someone who at the time of writing we felt needed more dues. She’s a writer, an educator, a performer and an archiver of women’s punk rock history and a constant inspiration.
Bizznizz
Crafted around Sarah’s funky bassline, this track was inspired by The Slits or late 70s punk sound. It’s an anomaly to the rest of the live set without bass, so by the time people are wondering where our bass player is, they’re already throwing a few shapes. On the recording, we added guitar and baritone saxophone, thanks to guest Maddy Mac because, why not?! Zec read Emily Chang’s book Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys Club of Silicone Valley and was fixing to critique toxic male startups. The song talks about tech companies, corporate attire, calling a meeting, call-to-actions. Busy workers creating more busy-ness so they feel like they are ‘doing business.’ The outfits, the large coffee cups, the laptops, the hot desks, the filtered water, the fluorescent lights, the endless meetings, meetings, meetings to “search engine optimise ME”.
Statues
We were watching the Kardashian’s one day and Kim is looking in the mirror when her sister poses the question, “If you were a man what would you do?” The answer was pure Kardashian (look it up). Overtime, the song’s themes morphed from the ridiculous to investigate the more serious theme of tearing down statues, rejecting historic ‘heroism’, rewriting patriarchal, colonial history and pulling down barriers. But there is an understanding that if you cut off one head, another head grows and it is the systems that need to change, an entire dismantling of worship and historical memory. It’s also a punk-rock, reflexive Patti Smith's 'Pissing In A River' moment that takes a satirical look at the state of the world through the male uptake of urban spaces, and their erections taking up space.
In Motion
We are constantly in motion. Nature takes over our cities, and our bodies. This breaking down of the self over time, questions nature vs nurture by collapsing binaries and ideologies. As artists we channel this movement through creativity “even with the lights out” and it moves us towards our authentic self. If you dare.
Newcomer
Finding your Lost Familiar. An Australiana Gothic tale of discovery, “panning for gold, turning every precious stone” to find your true self. A spaghetti western with a female protagonist. Think books and films like Tracks, Wild and Nomadland… wandering women, searching for meaning, self, family and often leaving intergenerational trauma behind. “Seeking out the higher notes”.
Lost Familiar is out now through Psychic Hysteria - head to plasterofparis.bandcamp.com to purchase the album on limited edition vinyl. Plaster of Paris are launching Lost Familiar on Saturday July 24th at The Old Bar.
