The Hush Sound
So Sudden
Decaydence/Fueled By Ramen
The Midwest has quickly become the go-to place for all things indie and pop-punk in the US. You can’t go anywhere these days without hearing that damned Fall Out Boy song; yet you can’t help but be proud, having watched them rise as a band. As a result of the success of some of these bands, indie powerhouse labels like Victory and Fueled by Ramen are scooping up every cute and catchy band possible. The result, as you can predict, is that the majority of these bands sound like carbon copies of one another, not bringing anything new or unique to the table.
Even so, it’s hard to hate a system that has managed to find several gems in a heard of many. One band that catches the ear in particular is The Hush Sound, an indie-pop group fresh out of the western suburbs. In less than a year, they’ve written and recorded an album, taken it to Decaydence/Fueled by Ramen records, and are now gearing up for a tour with two of the biggest TRL bands out now. But these guys are different; you can hear it in their first release, So Sudden.
If you were expecting more of the same out of a Fueled by Ramen band, “City Traffic Puzzle,” the first track on So Sudden, lets you know that you won’t be getting it. Instead, your ear is treated to dancing swing piano, sweet harmonies, and a breakdown that will raise hairs on you neck, building from pounding bass and toms to a sweet guitar solo.
The album then introduces you to The Hush Sound’s other singer, the talented (and very young) Greta Salpeter. Her voice is soft and feminine overlaid on guitars, which resemble something more from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rather than T.B.S., F.O.B. or any one of those other three-letter bands.
“Crawling Towards the Sun” and “The Market,” two songs with a very classic sound and pop-sensibility, are complete with backing harmonies, “La-da-da’s” and “Ooooo’s”. Echo even resembles some sort of Broadway musical number, drifting and gracefully changing pace mid-song.
It’s songs like these that make The Hush Sound’s music timeless. I’ve played this record for both young and old, and everyone finds something appealing. In ten years, genres like “indie” and “screamo” will be dead and long forgotten, but chances are you’ll still be able to appreciate So Sudden.
Check out The Hush Sound Friday, January 27th at The Iron Post in Urbana. Show starts @ 8:30.
