Unlike Panic at the Disco, their counterparts on the Fueled By Ramen label, The Hush Sound has not undergone a massive musical shift. With their third albm, Goodbye Blues, the Chicago-based band has kept much of the same sound- a rockin’ piano, infectious hooks, and the one-two punch of vocalists Greta Salpeter and Bob Morris.
However, the piano-rock, power-pop band HAS changed things up just a bit. Salpeter’s voice is more bluesy and powerful than on their past albums, Like Vines and So Sudden. In addition, Salpeter has taken the helm of the band, with lead vocals on 9 of Goodbye Blues’ 13 tracks. In the past, her songs were shared more equally with Morris. This time around, it’s her album.
Salpeter taking the lead is not a bad thing. Although Morris’ songs on The Hush Sound’s previous efforts were catchier, the most head-bopping, foot-stomping songs on Goodbye Blues come from Greta. The album’s lead single, “Honey,†is a rollicking jam with Salpeter busting out her bigger, darker voice.
Still, Greta’s best tracks come when Morris joins in, providing the best musical moments on all three of their albums. This happens notably on Blues’ three highlights: “The Boys Are Too Refined,†“Medicine Man,†and “Love You Much Better.†In all three, Morris chimes in with his trademark “woah-s†and “ba-da-da-da-s.â€
“The Boys Are Too Refined†is dark and peppy, and the best example of The Hush Sound’s newer, bluesy style, with Salpeter belting over her pounding piano, “And if the timing is right, to sneak off into the night, I’ll let myself be taken just for the thrill.â€
“Medicine Man†is an extremely well crafted song, going from a boom-clap beginning to strings, then to Morris’ low chants.
“Love You Much Better†is a retro track, and one that shows off the other new direction The Hush Sound has gone with their music: old school. Salpeter and Morris have admitted that the sound of Goodbye Blues is influenced by early American cabaret music, and this song is a clear example. An upbeat piano melody along with a stomping drum beat builds up to the two vocalists la-la-la-ing together in a part you can’t help but bop your head to.
Not all of The Hush Sound’s tunes are happy, however. The powerful ballad “Hurricane†also brings out the best in Salpeter’s more controlled voice, as she shows it off with power and a beautiful falsetto. Her poignant lyrics anchor the song throughout. “You’re the finest thing I’ve ever done, the hurricane I’ll never outrun, I could wait around for the dust to still, but I don’t believe that it ever will.â€
Morris’ tracks are more limited musically. He takes the lead on “As You Cry,†“Not Your Concern,†and “Hospital Bed Crawl.†All three of these songs are very catchy and fun, and they flow along nicely within the album. Still, they feel slightly repetitive, and none stand out the way some of his older tunes have (see “Crawling Towards The Sun,†“Sweet Tangerine,†and “We Intertwinedâ€). A major problem is that two out of Morris’ three (the odd song out being “Hospital Bed Crawlâ€) are fronted by his guitar and not by Salpeter’s piano. This, along with his voice sounding rougher than normal, leads to more of a rock feel to his songs, instead of the piano-power-pop the band usually aims for. Even with these problems intact, Morris has a lovable voice and his songs are still very good. But his best moments on Goodbye Blues come when he’s singing in the background.
Another standout track on Blues is “Break The Sky,†the airy and happy album closer with a “haven’t I heard this before?†chorus.
The album’s other two “normal†songs are “That’s Okay†and “Molasses.†Both songs are fine but forgettable. “That’s Okay†is a peppy ballad that doesn’t match the emotion of “Hurricane,†while “Molasses†is a simple song that seems to be missing something.
Goodbye Blues is rounded out by it’s opening “Intro†and it’s interlude “Six.†The intro is strange, operatic, and a bit creepy as Salpeter sings muffled behind a piano. The sound is raw, and it does not give listeners a good impression of what’s to come, but the intro does sound very original, and interesting. “Six†is strange as well, working as a 2 minute “interlude†in the middle of the cd. It has been accurately described as poppy elevator music, with a simple piano and drum beat driving it along. Like all of the other songs within the album, it flows along well.
In terms of lyrics, The Hush Sound tends to be very abstract and simple. But hey, so does Vampire Weekend! Still, there are some very good lyrical moments with clever metaphors and rhymes. On “As You Cry,†Morris sings, “As you cry, I wanna lie, say I love you so, darling even though, I don’t. There’s no easy way, to ease the pain.†Although clever lyrics like these are scattered throughout, the majority of the album contains simple songs about love and loss without deep lyrical meaning.
Overall, The Hush Sound has created another catchy, upbeat piano-pop album that is hard to say no to. Although some songs don’t necessarily stand out on their own, the album as a whole experience is fun and quick, maybe 2 tracks too long at 40 minutes and 13 songs. Recommended.
Listen to “Honey” and “Medicine Man” on their MYSPACE!
