Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Hush Hush proves to have a lot more kick than its name might imply, with Steele striking a strong balance between dreamy lyrics, surging guitars and cello-fueled atmospherics. And, just to put the boot to any thoughts that the current version of Hush Hush is some sort of pre-fab girl group on the order of Lillix or any number of Britpop acts, Fake includes a cheeky cover of the Byrds’ So You Want To Be A Rock ’N’ Roll Star.” - Halifax Chronicle-Herald
The album showcases Steele’s amazing voice and alluring lyrics, which lend themselves well to Hart’s creative use of effects pedals on the cello, Martinez’ enhancing bass lines and Thompson’s tight drumming. Featuring a fit and energetic cover of the Velvet Underground’s Femme Fatale and closing with the lingering title track, Fake is a testament to the great potential of this band.” - Dalhousie Gazette
Keri Steele, Hush Hush‘s lead vocalist and guitarist, has an amazing voice reminiscent of Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies and she showcases it in each of Fake‘s twelve songs.” - Umbrella Music
Fake, the first true Hush Hush album, finds the vocalist so excited to be free from ballads that even a cover of the Velvet Underground‘s Femme Fatale fairly rocks.” - Ottawa Sun
Fake is a delightful album that mixes the ethereal with the rocking and throws in a cover of the Velvet Underground classic Femme Fatale.” - Chartattack.com
Keri Steele has one of those absolutely lovely lilting voices that sits atop lush, tasteful arrangements of guitar, bass, drums and cello with just enough fuzz thrown in to provide the post-grunge indie cred element. Tres elegant, with haunting tones and some finely craftd arrangements. A charming collection.” - NOW Magazine
“Fake is a confident album with a commercial sound that could bring Hush Hush some widespread success.” - Exclaim Magazine
“An all-girl band making the move from Lilith Fair to Edgefest. The mix of cello, funky bass, electric guitar and ethereal vocals is interesting. Hush Hush looks good. Lead singer Keri Steele has the beautiful ingenue thing going on, no doubt fuelling male fantasies when she takes off her glasses and straps on her guitar. She charmed the crowd.” - Chartattack.com
Discography
Cinematheque (album) 2002
Fake (album) 2003
Never Your Fault (single) 2004
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Hush Hush evolved out of Imaginary Heaven, a group that singer/guitarist Keri Steele formed as a teenager in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. After three albums, Steele felt the need to stretch artistically and explore more contemporary forms of music. Forming Hush Hush enabled her to create an identifiable sound while initially allowing Steele the flexibility of working with a variety of musicians. The highly melodic, loop-based results were immediate and resulted in the recording of Cinematheque with producer Ken Harrison of Wild Strawberries. The All Music Guide reviewed the album and said, Hush Hush offers one trip-hop adventure after another while a remix-like atmosphere encapsulates each song."
When it came time to play the songs live, Steele decided that she really wanted Hush Hush to become a band. That proved harder to achieve than she ever imagined. It was important to find not only the right musicians, but the right people as well. Line-ups came and went. A video was shot and abandoned. Frustrations surfaced, but gradually a new sound and a new band emerged. The turning point was a month long residency at a small club in Toronto. The low key atmosphere allowed Hush Hush the opportunity to take some risks while still honing their skills. It was where Steele first started to play electric guitar. It was also where Hush Hush realized that a more stripped down approach was the direction to take.
The first person to join the new line-up was classically trained cellist Anissa Hart. Brought up in Edmonton, she has been playing music since the age of eight. Stretching the instrument to its sonic limits, Hart plays her cello through an array of effects pedals. Next to join was bassist Nina Martinez. The youngest member of Hush Hush played in her high school jazz ensemble before playing in a number of Toronto-area jam bands. Martinez took great pleasure in introducing her fuzz box into the groups edgier mix. A little over a year ago, Gail Thompson completed the group. As a founding member of the Calgary-based band Red Autumn Fall, she opened for Oasis, recorded two critically-acclaimed albums and earned a reputation as a solid drummer. Thompsons experience locked in the rhythm section and brought a real sense of tightness to Hush Hush.
Gaining confidence, Hush Hush started to get noticed. This year, the band created a buzz at both New Music West in Vancouver and at the North By Northeast Music Festival in Toronto. On a creative roll, they went into Phantom Studios to record their new album with producers The Confidence Emperors. Fake begins with the electric guitar driven Never Your Fault and ends with the acoustic thoughtfulness of Fake. The track Razor Girl has been included in the U.S. movie Particles of Truth starring Gale Harold (Queer As Folk). Our sound lends itself easily to film and thats an area that we hope to explore more of in the near future. Fake was released September 23rd in Canada on the popguru label and distributed nationally by MapleNationwide/Universal.
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