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Posts Tagged ‘The Hush Sound’

  1. Best Albums of 2008

    December 12, 2008 by Steph

    Okay, so we all have different tastes in music and there was NO WAY I thought we could come together to make a complete list for you.  Instead, I decided that each of us should make a list for you of our top five albums of 2008.

    Apparently our tastes converged because we have a few in common.  Our collective favorites were:

    Jack’s Mannequin’s The Glass Passenger

    Fall Out Boy’s Folie a Deux

    Forever the Sickest Kids’ Underdog Alma Mater

    And here are our top picks:

    Kristyn (writer):

    1. Fall Out Boy’s Folie a Deux
    2. Valencia’s We All Need A Reason To Believe
    3. Jack’s Mannequin’s The Glass Passenger
    4. John Mayer Trio’s Where The Light Is (Live)
    5. James Morrison’s Songs For You, Truths For Me

    Aimee (photographer):

    1. The Matches’ A Band in Hope
    2. The Cab’s Whisper War
    3. Jack’s Mannequin’s The Glass Passenger
    4. Sing It Loud’s Come Around
    5. Simple Plan’s Simple Plan

    Steph (writer):

    1. Panic at the Disco’s Pretty. Odd.
    2. Jack’s Mannequin’s The Glass Passanger
    3. Forever the Sickest Kids’ Underdog Alma Mater
    4. Ingrid Michaelson’s Be OK
    5. Joshua Radin’s Unclear Sky EP

    Catharine (photographer):

    1. Fall Out Boy – Folie A Deux
    2. Taylor Swift – Fearless
    3. Panic At The Disco – Pretty. Odd.
    4. Demi Lovato – Don’t Forget
    5. Metro Station – Metro Station

    Justin (writer):

    1. Disturbed – Indestructible
    2. Mindless Self Indulgence – If
    3. Kanye West – 808s and Heartache (having to put this on here makes me want to punch myself)
    4. Hollywood Undead – Swan Songs
    5. Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords

    Cassie (writer):

    1. Fall Out Boy – Folie a deux (even if just for the hype surrounding it)

    2. The Academy Is… – Fast Times at Barrington High

    3. ADELE – 19

    4. Charlotte Sometimes – Waves and the Both of Us

    5. Forever the Sickest Kids – Underdog Alma Mater


    Brianna (writer):

    1. Jason Mraz – We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
    2. Gavin DeGraw – Gavin DeGraw
    3. Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
    4. The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues

    5. David Cook – David Cook & David Archuleta – David Archuleta

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  2. Simply Beautiful (Update)

    September 30, 2008 by Steph

    I am starting a list of simply beautiful (generally acoustic) songs. This is for those of you who love beautiful music.  If you don’t…read our other trash :). If you have any recommendations to add, comment!

    “Three Cheers For Five Years” (acoustic) – Mayday Parade – Punk Rock     Goes Acoustic II

    “An Offer She Can’t Refuse” – Reeveoliver – Reeveoliver

    “When We’re Old Men” – Yellowcard – Lights and Sounds

    “Intensity in Ten Cities” – Chiodos – Bone Palace Parade

    “Stay Quiet” – Western Legend – Across the Border from Del Rio

    “Coffee Break” – Forever the Sickest Kids – Underdog Alma Mater

    “The Armistice (Acoustic) ” – The Receiving End of Sirens

    “Giving Up” – Ingrid Michaelson – Girls and Boys

    “Your Call” – Secondhand Serenad – Your Call

    “Globes and Maps” – Something Corporate – Leaving Through the Window

    “Hear You Me” – Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American

    “Nicest Thing” – Kate Nash – Made of Bricks

    “What Sarah Said” – Death Cab for Cutie – Plans

    “Sky (Feat. Ingrid Michaelson)” – Joshua Radin – Unclear Sky EP

    “Existentialism on Prom Night” – Straylight Run – Straylight Run

    “The City Lights” – Umbrellas – Umbrellas

    “Hurricane” – The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues

    “For the Widows In Paradise, for the Fatherless In Ypsilanti” – Sufjan Stevens – Greetings from Michigan

    “Shelter” – Ray LaMontagne – Prime (Origional Motion Picture)

    “You and I are a Gang of Losers” – The Dears – Gang of Losers

    More to come later…

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  3. Honda Civic Tour, Florida 2008

    April 10, 2008 by Brianna

    My First Honda Civic Tour

    Yes! Just like the title suggests. Last Night was my very first Honda Civic Tour and let me tell you, I absolutely loved it! The music was great, the performance was fantastic and the energy was amazing.


    First up was Phantom Planet. From the moment they hit the stage, they brought on a blast of energy and really rocked it out. Their set had me bouncing up and down and bobbing my head the entire time. Most of the songs they played were off their new album Raise the Dead including their new singles “Do the Panic” and “Dropped,” which were awesome. They even went out there and pulled a “summoning” move for all the World of Warcraft fans at the concert (my sister and I met some of the guys and she is really into WoW.  She told them that she was a level 30 mage…they thought that was awesome :D).  They ended their set with, of course, “California” (which got the ENTIRE crowd singing along).

    The Hush Sound then took to the stage busting out with one of their songs from their new album, Goodbye Blues. As they belted out an energetic rendition of “Medicine Man” everyone sang along. I had never seen them live before so just seeing them there and SO CLOSE was just amazing. As I listened to them perform, I was amazed to realize they sound like they do on their CDs. (I know it’s weird, but I think it’s rare to actually see it or hear it happen.) Their set had a little bit for everyone. They performed soulful slow songs like “Hurricane” and more energetic and spirited songs like “We Intertwined” and “Honey”. They ended their set with an enthusiastic roar from the crowd.

    Motion City Soundtrack was up next and the closer we got to the headliners, the louder the rumbles throughout the venue became. They came on and I have to say that they are seriously entertaining. They cracked jokes in between songs – I thought that was really cool. They performed songs from their recent release Even if It Kills Me (2007) and their older albums as well.  I am a fairly new fan of Motion City Soundtrack and am still learning more about them. They got the crowd singing along when they sang “The Future freaks me out”, “Let’s Get Fucked Up and Die”, and of course their most popular, “Everything is Alright”.  They got the crowd pumped up and ready to rock by the time they ended their set. Motion City Soundtrack then turned up on the third floor to take pictures and sign autographs like The Hush Sound did, but the line went all the way down to the second floor and I wasn’t about to lose my spot in the pit.  I wanted so badly to see them and do that stuff, but positive thinking and saying to myself “there’s always next time” convinced me to stay put.

    Finally, it was the moment we had all been waiting for…Panic at the Disco was about to take the stage. The band hadn’t even come out yet and the crowd was already going crazy! I have to admit, I was part of the crowd cheering and chanting “Panic” thinking that would get them on stage fasterJ .  When they finally approached the stage, the entire venue was screaming and just…it was pandemonium. They greeted the crowd and began singing “We’re So Starving” followed by “Nine in the Afternoon”, everyone singing along the entire time. I sang even louder when they began playing my absolute favorite song—the moment the beat for “Lying is the most fun a girl can have…” began to flood the speakers, I completely let loose and started going crazy. Why would one admit this you ask? I don’t quite know…the simple answer is to show you how into the music I was. At one point though, I did feel like it was dragging a bit.  I guess it was just the lack of explosive bass and pounding rhythm. The final song was fittingly, “Northern Downpour” which I thought was nicely performed. They then got off the stage. I didn’t stick around for the encore so I can’t tell you about that.

    All in all, I enjoyed the sets, the music and the general mood of it all.  The best part was that I was helping the environment (eco-friendly centered concert). Although there were certain parts that were a little dragging, if you like any of these bands I suggest you go. You’ll have a blast.

    *all photos taken from respective artists’ myspace pages

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  4. Goodbye old Hush Sound

    April 10, 2008 by Steph

    The Hush Sound’s Goodbye Blues

    I’m really frustrated with The Hush Sound’s new release Goodbye Blues.

    Let me explain:  This Chicago quartet is one of my favorite bands.  Their debut and sophomore releases – So Sudden and Like Vines – are two of my favorite albums.  Now, I expect that bands are going to grow and change and that usually excites me when I get to discover a band’s new vision and maturity.  But I feel like the way that THS has grown and evolved with this album is frustrating.  I feel like they “evolved” my favorite elements into something that has an entirely different essence.

    Now don’t get me wrong here.  I think that Greta is amazing, but here’s the thing:  in the previous two albums I fell in love with the light haunting vocals that she has which was beautifully contrasted with Bob’s bright strong voice.  She was able to command the melody without forcing it.  On Goodbye Blues, her vocals have changed a lot and even though it shows an artistic diversity, it really changes the entire style of The Hush Sound.  On the “Intro,” her vocals are light but dragging and remind me of a possessed Snow White and again on “That’s Okay” her exaggerated vibrato reminds me of a Disney princess.  On the contrary, on “Medicine Man” her vocals are heavy and brash and bring to mind Amanda Ghost and Jewel.  Then, keeping with what seems like the vision of the album, on songs like “Honey” and “Molasses” her vocals are loud and strong and have a big-band 1920s flapper feel.  “Love You Much Better” hints at this theme as well, but makes me think instead of New Orleans at Disneyland.  And the song has a scary resemblance to “I Can Love You Better” by the Dixie Chicks.

    “Hurricane” I feel is the song that best combines old THS with this new direction they’ve gone.  The feel is haunting and pulls at your soul.  Greta’s voice is light and easy, but still mysterious and sorrowful.  If there’s one song on Goodbye Blues you listen to, make it this one.

    The music seems to stick to The Hush Sound’s signature formula (along with Bob’s vocals). The beat is heavy but the melody dancing and light. On other songs the piano takes over and makes it a smoother, emotion-filled track.

    The lyrics have mostly retained their frivolous cynicism. Songs like “As You Cry” decidedly conflict the happy melody with lyrical cruelty.

    It’s not that I dislike Goodbye Blues. The thing is that I liked what The Hush Sound was doing. And of course I understand that they’re going to evolve and change as band,
    but do they have to change the elements they had already perfected? If you haven’t heard THS before, you might love this album. Or maybe even if you have. But I think the mood of THS has changed and it’s something that I’ll have to get used to as opposed to revel in. For sure though if you haven’t heard THS before, check out their older releases if you’re not into Goodbye Blues

    (images from www.myspace.com/thehushsound)

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