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MP3 At 3PM: The Hush Now
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Boston quintet the Hush Now has been receiving a lot of critical praise in the blogosphere in recent...Boston quintet the Hush Now has been receiving a lot of critical praise in the blogosphere in recent months, garnering numerous comparisons to bands like Built To Spill, Wilco, the Stone Roses and Teenage Fanclub. Not bad for a group that’s still unsigned. On February 16, the Hush Now’s sophomore release, Constellations, will be available as a free digital download (along with its debut, which is available here now). Check out Constellations‘ second single, “Contrails,” which is pure-pop heaven with boyish vocals and generous cymbal crashes.
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The Hush Now - Constellations
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Every once in a while, there comes an album that brings together all your favourite sounds and speak...Every once in a while, there comes an album that brings together all your favourite sounds and speaks directly to you like a voice sounding over the great distance, from all your most well remembered times.
That fuzzed-out guitar sound is Jawbreaker, blaring at your first keg party. That bass groove The Cure's first record blasting out your car windows. The melody and vocal inflection here are Guided By Voices' Isolation Drills as the leaves change. This is The Hush Now, whose second album Constellations is a culmination of everything that's great in indie rock past and present.
The Hush Now have a distinct Britpop sensibility, sounding often like The Stone Roses and occasionally a bit like Oasis, if only a little. But they're from Boston, home of baked beans, the Red Sox and the band that brought you More Than A Feeling. Not exactly a hotbed for perfectly crafted indie-pop songs.
Lead singer Noel Kelly sounds quite a bit like a blend of Robert Pollard, Rivers Cuomo and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's John Cardwell. The music is equal parts Superdrag, Guided By Voices, Weezer, Jawbreaker and Yo La Tengo. This is sugary, bubblegum shoegaze, mid-'90s post-grunge power pop at its peak.
The production (both of the band's efforts have been produced by David Newton of The Mighty Lemon Drops) is constantly surprising and innovative. Here, an operatic vocal aside (lead single, Hoping And Waiting), there a chamber-music string arrangement (All You've Said And Done), and there again a blistering horn section (Smokescreens).
Constellations opens with the pounding, driving Contrails, whose guitars seem ripped from anything off Superdrag's Regretfully Yours; and just when you thought they don't make fuzz-box distortion like this anymore. And Noel Kelly's voice soars over the noise, nailing an impeccably sing-able AM Gold melody that sticks in your ear like gum to the soles of your shoes.
Lead single Hoping And Waiting is something of a pop gem, opening surprisingly with a cathedral organ run before erupting into a lightning-pop groove that smacks of The Stone Roses. The opera vocal part is jarring, and could be taken as pompous lack of control in the production booth - and it would be taken as such in the hands of a lesser band. But The Hush Now, under the deft guidance of David Newton, are purveyors of pop in its purest, crystalline form, and you've got to trust them implicitly. The effect is visceral.
The album never relents, and never induces weariness on the part of its listener. Thorns successfully brings The Edge style guitar delay into the equation, and lopes along beautifully. Fireflies (not an Owl City cover, thankfully) opens with backwoods banjos before building into a Velvet Teen thing with reverb-soaked guitars, plunked keyboards and galloping drums. Misanthropes employs a bit of Pedro The Lion chord structure, but foregoes the insecurity. I Saw You First is a roller-rink couple skate saturated in sunshine and popcorn grease.
The Hush Now are ones to watch. Their self-released second album is poised to become the sort of label-free mover that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and the aforementioned SSLYBY have enjoyed. Constellations is a welcome reminder that indie-pop has not, in fact, gone the way of the buffalo and the avant-garde dance bands. The Hush Now prove that infectious melody and relentless fuzz are just as effective today as they've ever been.
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Gazing at the shoes, headed for the stars
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So, if Elliot Smith had ever once thought “...okay, nuts to all this folky whimsy stuff, I want to j...So, if Elliot Smith had ever once thought “...okay, nuts to all this folky whimsy stuff, I want to join My Bloody Valentine, if that's okay with you...” he may have sounded something as good as The Hush Now’s debut long player. For these Bostonians shares much of Smith’s lightness of touch in the vocals and meandering dream-like melodies, coupled with a great band who know a trick or two about crafting wonderfully noisy, densely urgent yet controlled pop sound-scapes. Occupying the tougher, atmospheric and ambient rock side of the sonic spectrum, the band's debut is a tour de force of sharply executed modern rock, with an incisive pop sensibility. Among the many highlights, "Pining", a seemingly unabashed love song, mixes 10cc "I’m Not in Love" vocal effects, hypnotic guitar figures, and then enough snarling atmosphere and melody to craft one of the album’s best moments. "Traditions" rattles along like …Trail of Dead experiencing a caffeine rush, its “..sit down and shut up..” chorus’ cloaking some intrigue and bitterness amongst its superbly rousing atmosphere. Elsewhere, "Ashes" sounds like The Cure covering Burt Bacharach at the wrong speed and is every bit as brilliant as that sounds. While "Hiding in Corners" provides the textbook bombastic finale, and actually not for the first time during the album, sounds quite a lot like much-missed UK FX-pedal botherers My Vitriol.
It’s rare for an album to unrelentingly crackle along with such thrilling pace with a vibrancy and quality that never lets up. Produced wonderfully (by David Newton of Mighty Lemon Drops), with a snappy bite and powerful clarity, this debut is deserving of some rabid, adoring attention. "The Hush Now" is clearly a triumph of an album. (Ian Fildes)
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Boston Phoenix - Editor's Event Pick
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New Boston band the Hush Now deal in the lush, sugar-spun melodies of shoegaze’s dreamy heyday while...New Boston band the Hush Now deal in the lush, sugar-spun melodies of shoegaze’s dreamy heyday while also punching up their songs with the hooky muscle of bands like Guided by Voices and Built To Spill. Not-so-fun fact: the outfit traces its genesis to the epiphanic moment experienced by frontman Noel Kelly after he’d crashed his car into a Catholic church. Some heavenly pop could-be hits are the result. Tracks from their Hush Now debut (especially “Traditions” and “Sadie Hawkins Dance”) have been getting blog buzz of late, and deservedly so — it’s the best record by a group comprising a World War I re-enactor (who, alas, has since left the band), a rock-and-roll-camp counselor, and an EMT you’re likely to hear this year. The Hush Now celebrate the album’s release with the main drag, Action Verbs, and the Red Royal at T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge
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Today's Hotness: The Hush Now
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We were very impressed by The Hush Now's record release show last Thursday night, and only work and ...We were very impressed by The Hush Now's record release show last Thursday night, and only work and a trip over the weekend kept us from offering something more like a proper review. There are a couple important things to note that underline the fact that The Hush Now is a band to watch. First, this was technically the band's live debut. And we don't just mean this particular line-up of the band, we mean it was their first gig, and The Hush Now was very convincing: no muffed cues, no noticeable botching of anything, just big guitars and big anthems. Second, bandleader Noel Kelly told us prior to the show that the quintet had only rehearsed four times. Third, despite it being the band's live debut (we don't think a radio session with Pipeline! earlier in the week counts), the room in front of the stage at TT's was filled -- a bit shy of packed. We've been in that room a lot of nights with bigger bands drawing fewer people, so the turnout -- for a band whose players describe themselves as hermits -- speaks to a level of interest that we expect even surprises Mr. Kelly. The Hush Now played rockers including "Sadie Hawkins Dance," "Pining," a new and unfinished tune "Constellations" and debut album highlight "Traditions" (the last track featured a vocal cameo from very cool original Hush Now bassist Mike DiMinno). In lieu of further discussion we offer this link to a Flickr slideshow of snapshots we took during the set. The Hush Now's next gig is May 1 at TT's, as part of a fine evening curated by Bradley's Almanac.
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"So Many New Boston Sounds"
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As I write this, I'm at a table at TT the Bears, where in just a couple of hours The Hush Now will b...As I write this, I'm at a table at TT the Bears, where in just a couple of hours The Hush Now will be officially celebrating the release of their self-titled debut. For some background on the band, who have gone through both a relocation and a lineup change on their way to the TT's stage tonight, check out a new interview at my compatriot Clicky Clicky, and do yourself a favor and download the entire album for free, right here. While CC likens their sound to Poole and The Ocean Blue, I swear at times they're ringers for a sonically-improved Fudge, and that's high praise indeed. If you aren't convinced to go grab the full-length yet, here's a taste that should seal the deal...
Mp3: The Hush Now - "Bedtime Stories"
Stream some more at MySpace, although I don't know why you'd do that, because hey, free album download.
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More Great Indie Albums of 2008: The Hush Now's Free Debut Album
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Because so many of you demand it, I am resuming the on-going playlist/profile series, More Great Ind...Because so many of you demand it, I am resuming the on-going playlist/profile series, More Great Indie Albums of 2008. You can get a good sense of a band's popularity by searching its name on Google, checking their plays on music sites like MySpace and LastFM and so on. But this is no measure of so many talented artists that have yet to be discovered by the mass of indie and alternative rock music lovers.
So here's a nod to another promising band I didn't know about until they sent me a link to download their debut released last October.
Boston indie-pop quintet The Hush Now have made an indelible impression on music critics and fans with their “lush sugar-spun melodies of shoegaze’s dreamy heyday”.
The band’s self-titled debut quickly climbed the independent radio charts and drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, Poole and The Ocean Blue, among others.
The Hush Now's magical debut record is a boost for any band. After listening to the album more than a few times, it's hard not to appreciate its rich, layered pop songs opulent with waves of melodies and harmonies accented by memorable keyboard riffs and catchy beats.
Can't wait to hear their next release. The following songs are from their self-titled debut in October 2008. The first track, "Vancouver", is my personal favorite. If you like the band, add them on MySpace.
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The Hush Now Are Louder than You Think
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Boston’s the Hush Now sound like Braid playing a reunion show on a cloud. Replace Bob Nanna’s raspy ...Boston’s the Hush Now sound like Braid playing a reunion show on a cloud. Replace Bob Nanna’s raspy voice with Noel Kelly’s nice-guy vocals, add a little “pop” to their step, and turn down the juice for a second; you’ve got the perfect ingredients for a notable pop-indie band. ‘Traditions’ is the first single from the group’s brand new self-titled debut, romping through the stratosphere with bass-y guitar riffs, bells tickling just the right places, low-end, catchy vocals, and just the right amount of commitment. Give this baby a couple of listens and you’ll be singing along in no time – which, ironically, works in direct conflict to the name of the band.
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The Hush Now (Featured Band)
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The Hush Now (MySpace) make melodic indie-pop with two-part male vocal harmonies. The poppy riffs an...The Hush Now (MySpace) make melodic indie-pop with two-part male vocal harmonies. The poppy riffs and bouncy percussion and spacey guitars are not really what one would expect from a Civil War re-enactor, or even a Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp Counselor, but The Hush Now has one of each.
It’s funny, how someone like me can think a Civil War re-enactor as nerdy and dorky, yet there’s no question about myself. How is a Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp Counselor different from an obsessive compulsive who collects records—many of which he has yet to play? I guess the difference is public versus private. I can hide my dorkiness behind my front door.
So what about The Hush Now? Listening to the shoegaze-y guitar riff in “Traditions”, I can’t help but think these guys got something right. Maybe I should try carrying ten records around with me wherever I go. Maybe then I could get something right too.
The Hush Now’s self-titled, self-released debut hits soon. Here’s a taste…
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Back To Now: The Hush Now Interview With Noel Kelly
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For a band whose history notably features a major car accident and a flood, guitarist and singer Noe...For a band whose history notably features a major car accident and a flood, guitarist and singer Noel Kelly's The Hush Now certainly seems to operate as agent of Fate's whimsy. Which is why we were surprised when we checked in with Mr. Kelly recently ahead of Thursday's record release party for the Boston-based quintet's well-received, self-titled 2008 debut. Surprised because Kelly talks of a five-year plan and of having songs ready for a third record, despite the fact that as of this writing he had not finished a second that was begun last summer prior to the release of The Hush Now. Kelly -- whose music recalls '90s indie pop stars Poole and Sire-signed stand-outs The Ocean Blue -- plans to complete tracking for album 2 this weekend, and speaks with striking confidence about making things work on his own terms with a new band content to ignore the music industry ladder historically seen as the best way up.
CC: We met last summer and you come across as a mellow but passionate guy. That said, there are a lot of things about The Hush Now that are kind of topsy-turvy. You began recording your second record last summer months before you formally released your first. Before finishing your second record, you put together a different line-up of the band. Has anything about The Hush Now gone the way you planned?
NK: Actually, everything is going much better than planned, if you can believe that. I know it probably doesn’t look that way from the outside, but there is a pretty methodical approach behind what probably looks like relative chaos. Other than the scramble with line-up changes (BTW, the new line-up is super -- great people, great songwriters, great musicians – it's always good to know you're the weakest in the room), I think things are really flowing well. I'll attempt to explain though why things seem a bit out of order compared to the usual "band forms, band plays, band records, band tours" paradigm.
I wrote some tunes while living in Portland, OR but I wasn't sure how my sound might translate. I wanted to put together an album and see if there was any real promise there. Although it's not exactly cheap to record these days, it's not entirely impossible. There I was 2 years ago living in a basement (I'm a bit of a recluse), with no money left and I thought, "I don’t think anybody else is going to pay to make this album." So off I went to Boston to find a job that could pay for the album.
The first line-up was a miracle. Moving to a new city and finding musicians who are interested in playing somebody else's music is a really difficult task, especially if you're not quite the social butterfly. Barry, Mike and Kurt just got it. And having Dave Newton, who I was already comfortable with, produce the album just brought everything together. So we knocked out the first album in LA and Joshua Tree. It was like a vacation for me. Good times.
It was at this point (and with Dave's encouragement) I decided to push the album out to the world. I wanted to make sure the effort was more than a vanity project though. After years in [my old band] Cerulean and scratching my head over why we were never able to sustain a higher level of interest, I really backed up and tried to deconstruct not only the efforts of a band trying to gain exposure, but also what I really wanted as a musician and as an artist. In the end, I decided I really just want people to hear the music and if so inspired, maybe come to a show. I had/have no delusions of grandeur with expectations of signing a label deal.
I figured the best alternative was to just invest in myself and the band. So I drew up a 3-5 year plan and pretty much started dumping all my energy and income into The Hush Now. Understanding some of the shortcomings of Cerulean, I decided it was best to always have an album ready to be released. I never planned for The Hush Now's success to be tied to one single album, but rather a succession of albums that gained more and more momentum. So, six months after we finished the first album, I had a new batch of songs ready and we jumped back in the studio. I'm finishing tracking on album 2 this weekend and planning to record album 3 this summer. If all I ever accomplish with any of this is to create some pretty cool music that some folks dig, then I'll consider that success. Anything else is just icing on the cupcake, as they say.
CC: Let's talk about the new line-up. Who do you have doing what in this iteration of the band? Where did you dig them up? Which was the hardest slot to fill?
NK: First, let me say that both Kurt Schneider [who plays keys with Boston indie geniuses This Car Up. -- Ed.] and Mike DiMinno were invaluable in creating the sound on the first two records. Unfortunately, things didn't work out for different reasons –- nothing personal. We're still great friends. That being said, the new line-up is soooo good. I'm really lucky. Everybody has a unique ear and all are stellar musicians. We have a soft spot for similar bands and understand the idea of making music that gets people moving.
John Charpentier I found on Craig's List. He’s a huge Elliot Smith fan and a great guitarist/songwriter. Mike Wittrien responded to an ad as well. Usually finding a bass player is always the most difficult thing in the world. Not only did I find one, but Mike is out of this world. He is a musician’s musician. Barry brought John Millar into the fold on keys. John just fits in really nicely. He's also the youngin' in the band at 22 years old. There were no tryouts or auditions. I just met the guys for drinks and if we hit it off, they were in. I just got lucky that they all turned out to be phenomenal. The spot that worried me the most though, was filling the drummer slot. Barry had originally just come on board for the albums only, but when he decided to join the band full time, it was a huge weight lifted. He really is that fucking good. You can build something around a good drummer. Otherwise, you’re fucked. Now, I just don't want to let these guys down.
Would you say the new line-up has made the material on the self-titled record its own, or is the new Hush Now such a fresh commodity that it is just hoping to just nail the material as it is on the record at the record release show?
With new players, there's always going to be interpretations of the music. It's a fine line. On one hand you want them to recreate the album, but not to an extent where their playing becomes stale. It's always better if a musician makes the music their own in some way so they are playing rather than executing. It's been so long since I've looked at the songs from the first album that I even had to learn the music myself with the band. But I think we're getting there. We're going to be good.
CC: The self-titled record made a respectable showing on the CMJ Top 200, which was quite a feat for a band that at that point, well, kind of didn't exist, am I right? What can you tell us about any plans to get out and tour the record to try to capitalize on the good showing at radio?
NK: Yeah, I was really happy with how well the debut did. We charted in the top 100 for weeks and even started getting spins from commercial radio. The coolest is that Steve Lamacq from BBC 6 is playing us. What an honor, ya know? And you're right, we didn't exist. But that's what's so great about the new media outlets today. If you put together a quality product and get it out there, there's always the chance somebody will pick up on it. The key I'm finding is patience followed quickly by persistence... and getting a great team of folks involved that believe in the music and are self-starters. I think some folks get worried about fucking up or saying or doing the wrong thing. Who gives a shit, really? I always look at problems as something to solve. I work with engineers during the day and they approach problems the complete opposite way. They point out every reason why you can’t do something. That mindset is fucking paralyzing and it drives me insane. Really, what's the worst thing that's going to happen... all lessons learned. Personally, I thrive on scars, because I tend to fuck up quite a bit, but it keeps me energized. As long as you're honest, people will forgive mistakes.
Anyway, off the soapbox... We’re planning shows on the east coast for the spring as well as a couple of tours of England and Scotland (anybody know of cheap fares out there?). Because we all have day gigs, it makes it difficult to take off for months on end right now... but I'm positive that day will come. I'd love to get the guys over to play some west coast shows as well. And of course, we'd love to play the CMJ festival and SXSW next year. Hopefully the new album will create enough buzz to make those a reality.
CC: Can we expect to hear any songs from the second album Thursday night? And what can you tell us about a release date or label for that set?
NK: Actually, you'll get to hear a song from the third album. How's that for being fucked up and out of order? It's a great song though that the new line-up had a hand in creating, so we're all really excited about it. It's an exciting indicator of where the music will grow. The new album will be released to radio this coming October with a single dropping in June/July. I have my brother singing opera, my sister on flute and clarinet and brother-in-law on trumpet. I'm pretty excited how the album is coming together. We're going to offer the album for free download again. I think musicians/bands have to start thinking of approaching the "music business" (whatever that is) differently these days. People are going to get the album free anyway, why fight it? And fuck it, I'm not making the music for me to listen to alone. My father made a living supporting a family of six playing gigs. It wasn't a lavish lifestyle, but he did what he loved and we turned out OK. Sure, it wasn't always glamorous for him, but let me tell you, there's nothing like watching your father's Irish band play Michael Jackson's "Beat It." I wish I had that on tape.
The Hush Now plays T.T. The Bear's in Cambridge, Mass. Thursday night. Tonight the quintet plays a live radio session for Pipeline! on MIT's 88.1 WMBR-FM.
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NIKEWOMEN.COM FEATURED ARTIST: THE HUSH NOW
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Have you ever stepped outside, mid February in Michigan? The thermometer is certain to display a neg...Have you ever stepped outside, mid February in Michigan? The thermometer is certain to display a negative reading. Add wind chill factor and, boy, you are in for a ride. The first step is the most intimidating. As you inhale the piercing air through your nostrils, something happens to your body. Along the back of your neck, hairs stand on end. You can feel the oxygen surging through you veins, as a path of goose bumps form in its wake. Just when your lungs have reached maximum capacity, you exhale. A warm cloud of breath creeps from your lips and clarity hugs your body. It's 5:30 am and you are headed out for your morning run.
Until now I always wondered what the elite members of the running society were listening to, on those pitch black, icy, winter mourns. It wasn't until today that I heard "Traditions" by The Hush Now and discovered what must be classified information, accessible only to members of the RSS (Runners Secret Society).
Within the first few seconds, I can hear my feet hitting the pavement in tempo with the songs rhythmic presence of drum. Like the road ahead, the voices of lead singer Noel Kelly and bassist Mike DiMinnio are even and steady. As the song intensifies during the chorus, so does my pace of my run. Unknowingly, The Hush Now has created the perfect interval run within "Traditions."
This indie-pop, Boston-based band will release their self-titled, debut album, later this month. For now runners rest assured, if the remainder of the album is anything like "Traditions" your membership in the early morning elite association is officially granted for the winter months ahead.
-Meghan
supersonic
