Once in a while I open my big mouth and get something good for expelling all that carbon dioxide. My good blog buddy, Christy posted a review of The Hush Now and after listening to Traditions with it’s quixotic R.E.M. Murmur era-esque, Bill Berry quick hats with the Ocean Blue-y chorus soaked droning on the guitar, I knew I needed to hear more of this band. I left a comment indicating that I dug it with nine shovels (or something like that) and Noel Kelly (vocals/guitars) sent me an email promising me all the riches in the world if I would review their CD. After some intense negotiations, Noel promised to throw in a hand job from Carmen Electra and I allowed him to send me the band’s CD.

The Hush Now lists lots of interesting ear candy (oh holy fuck, did I just really use the phrase ear candy in a music review… fuck, that probably  voids the whole hand job from Carmen) as their influences: Apples in Stereo, Built to Spill (oh holy fuck yes), Guided By Voices, The Ocean Blue, Teenage Fanclub, and The Cure. Upon first listening, The Ocean Blue influence is readily made as well as the often harmonized lead vocals a lá Teenage Fanclub (Bandwagonesque, one of the greatest albums know one knows about by the way). But the major impression I was left with was this band is really doing something important.

The majority of the songs are like a bank heist – get in with some single note melody on guitar, add some tasteful keyboards, and no one gets hurt. The band does a decent job of managing space (the old adage, “it’s not the notes you play, it’s the ones you don’t” and like a fine movie, there is some room tonally for the listener to connect some dots of their own.

That said, the only two negative comments I have for the CD is at times I felt the guitarists let their right hands (that is assuming they are both right handed guitarists) go too much and overall, the bass could have been a little more prevalent (I say that mostly because I really like the in the pocket, yet melodic moments he had). The drummer, Barry Marino really pays great attention to dynamics to his hats, which is something that is commonly overlooked and really pays dividends on tracks like Pining and perfectly bombastic on Vancouver.

This CD is one that you will have to show friends.

[OK, Here I really need to kick out that catalytic prose that will make readers understand they need to buy this CD, perhaps I can get back into Carmen's good graces...]

For the guys, this CD is jizzerific and will get you laid all the time. For the ladies, this CD will listen to you and pull your hair the right way during love making.

Standout tracks: Pining, Traditions, Vancouver, Sadie Hawkins Dance.

I will be holding a giveaway contest in October when the The Hush Now’s CD is due for release.

• Raffle Ticket Phone
• Debate Coaches Yell at Each Other, One Resorts to Mooning – awesome
• How to Make a Viking Spoon
• Geography Fail

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 6:43 am and is filed under music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.