So Shush

So Shush - s/t
A duo, from Manchester? Shades of the Tings thought I. With influences stretching across 60s garage punk, 70s prog and innumerable 80s obscurities, Carole and Ian Shush are indie scene veterans who know what they like and, while some of their influences are obvious and apparent, are quite deftly producing music which, given their combination of influences and experience has a unique charm entirely of its own, something that is often missing in todays pop world.

Carole Shush has has a quirky vocal style that recalls both Bjork and Edith Piaf, breathlessly gamine and teasing against the ever more complicated arrangements of Ian Shush, one minute thrashing powerchords and sudden fuzzbox solos that lead into more reflective moments that hark back to the heyday of none other than the very great Hank Marvin. So Shush can carry a tune between them, this isn't just cranking the noise up and legging it, and there is an undeniable mainstream pop touch to songs like 'Do Make Me Feel' and 'I Believe In You' songs which could take the charts actually by storm with only some very slight gloss added at the mixing desk.

And what's this on final track 'Lucid Dreamer'? Only a stonking great prog rock keyboard intro actually worthy of Keith Emerson, or even Rick Wakeman! So Shush aposessed of a degree of nerve often lacking in today's music scene, and they've a vinyl collection that's probably the envy of their entire street. Simon Cowell, your fate awaits you ......

So Shush's album is available on iTunes, Live365.com, emusic, Last FM, Napster, 7Digital, Rhapsody, Groupie Tunes, Shock Hound, imeem, Youtube, Myspace and Amazon.com
www.myspace.com/soshush
Jon Gordon

- www.tastyfanzine.org.uk

As much as we'd love to paint ourselves as typical 70s kids who grew up listening to Edgar Winter with black-light posters and incense burning in the basement or attic of a parental nest, our childhood music memories might be a bit closer to early Black Flag or Siouxsie Sioux blaring out of a beat-up car stereo while loitering in the parking lot of a local pub. For reasons that might become obvious after first listening, today's featured artist seems to have a solid grasp on both of these worlds and the result has us absolutely smitten. So Shush is the long time music project of Carole Smart and Ian Drumm from Manchester, UK who were in various local bands throughout the 1990s and have been working together since 2000. The influences vary widely, from My Bloody Valentine to The Hollies or even Yes (yes that Yes), and so a well seasoned Hammond organ and generous helping of guitars are exactly what we have in store for you this evening. The first track for listening will soon belong to an upcoming Skratch Magazine (Skratch MySpace) music sampler that will be the latest in a series of 49. Here you go.

MP3: People Need Something

After listening to People Need Something, an overwhelming thought of Homestead or Sarah Records snatching this band up back in the day is an easy one to fathom. If you are looking for more of the classic sound we mentioned earlier, a track from the self titled, 2008 debut release, complete with a decidedly retro progressive rock intro, can be found below as a definite bonus. For information on how to grab a copy of this debut CD, a visit can be made to either the So Shush MySpace joint or Carrie's supplemental So Shush MySpace extravaganza complete with all-things Hollies. Plenty of good music to be found in both places. From the debut... nice!

MP3: Lucid Dreamer

- http://milkmilk-lemonade.blogspot.com

UK natives So Shush usher in the New Year with a self-titled debut release that is sure to garner its fair share of attention. It certainly garnered ours! So Shush hails from Manchester, England and, considering that alternative rock icons the Buzzcocks, the Chemical Brothers, New Order, Oasis and the Smiths (among others) also call Manchester home, that could either be a blessing or a curse for this duo. Do well and uphold the well deserved reputation that Manchester has earned over the years for producing some of the best music ever. Lay an egg and bring shame upon what many consider the Mecca of alternative music. Fortunately, the legacy of their home town is indeed safe. So Shush's alternative/indie/pop sound is truly delightful, and Smart's vocals are just that…smart. Her voice has a certain airiness that gives their music lift while remaining grounded enough so as not to fly away. Ian Drumm masterfully incorporates a variety of guitar, keyboard and organ sounds that provides for a strong musical framework that could easily stand on its own. However, combined with Smart's vocals, the two create more than music. Theirs is an enchanting musical experience that would bring a smile even to Morrisey's face. Enjoy! - Groundwaves FM

So Shush is a UK band that cites sixties pop and obscure indie as their influences. These influences shine through on the music they present on their sites.

Singer/songwriter Carole Smart has a faraway and dreamy vocal quality that is captivating and has an old world sound on certain tracks; she can also sound very straightforward and matter of fact on others. It is a nice duality. People Need Something has Smart repeating “people need somethin’ to go driftin’” and the track captures the floating ease of dreaming. Urban Sanctuary features some doubled harmony vocals that bring to mind the vocal interplay of the girls in the B-52s ala “Roam” and further highlights the dreamy quality of Smart’s voice. Clever 80s-sounding keyboard licks provided by songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist Ian Drumm ride over uncluttered instrumentation.
Hiway Flyaway starts off more grounded, with a prog rock organ, a 70s vibe and a catchy rhyming scheme that makes singing along inevitable. A flanged guitar solo with its requisite modulation mid-lead solidifies the old school prog rock sound. Antarctica returns to a dreamy soundscape, with the duo painting word pictures about the fate of our melting ice caps. A lovely melodic guitar lead and repeated arpeggios during the lead break are a perfect accompaniment to Smart’s voice. Lucid Dreamer rivals the best work of Emerson Lake and Palmer in its intro, jumping into the song full-throttle. It switches gears to a sound that brings to mind some Jefferson Airplane during the heyday of Haight-Ashbury. Brilliant use of vocal echo effects to highlight the lyrical content – when Smart singings about “flying above it all” she is bathed in echo, truly traveling above it all. - ExMogul Music