If there’s one thing in this world that I can consistently count on, it is fantastic music from Chicago’s The Hush Sound. How that music will be presented, well that is where the mystery lies. Their debut album, So Sudden, was a playful mix of back and forth bantering between lead vocalists Greta Salpeter and Bob Morris. They followed that up with the decidedly circus-esque Like Vines, which, while still playing on the 50/50 ratio between Greta and Bob, added a bit more continuity between tracks. And now we have Goodbye Blues, their most coherent, complete, album to date, but that coherence is not without its casualties.
Goodbye Blues quite obviously (and admittedly) is heavily influenced by early American music. Not too often does an album arrive that is reminiscent of the days of fedoras and flapper girls while somehow managing to be current in today’s world. As the saying goes, “what’s old is new again.” The beauty of this theme is that it never goes back to being old. At no point did I feel that the heavy “saloon” piano and rolling rhythms were gimmicky or satirical. Instead, I grew an appreciation for early 1900s music, and am actually considering tracking down the pop music of my grandparents’ childhood. I chatted with Morris a while back and he mentioned that – considering the “scene” that The Hush Sound has become a part of – they would like to be the band that helps encourage young fans to leave their comfort zone and grow an appreciation for all types of music. Well Bob, mission accomplished.
Speaking of Bob, he isn’t actually the featured vocalist until track six, “As You Cry.” This is quite a departure from The Hush Sound’s previous outings, and one that I’m disappointed to say is consistent throughout the rest of the album (Bob only leads the way with his voice on three songs). Bob and Greta are known for writing their own songs individually, which becomes apparent on “As You Cry” as it is the first song on the album that doesn’t really seem the fit the prohibition era vibe. Sounding more like a rock n’ roll song from the late 50s or early 60s (think Weezer’s “Buddy Holly”) and practically devoid of the piano that drove the prior tracks on the album, Morris sends the message home as he tells the unknown femme in the song “As you cry, I wanna lie/Say I love you so, darling' even though I don’t.” Ouch.
After the brief cameo by Morris, we are treated to an instrumental interlude (aptly titled “Six” even though it is track seven, assumedly alluding to the haunting “Intro” not being a full song) that divides the album into two acts with a shuffling pace and a little steel drum for good measure.
From here on out we are graced with guitar/piano hybrids (“Molasses”), a second powerful, singer/songwriter tune (“That’s Okay,” “Hurricane” being the first), and the heavy, dirty, swing of “Not Your Concern” (led once again by Morris and his guitar). The final three songs on the album provide a decisive allusion to the entire compilation; “Love You Much Better” is bouncy, folksy goodness; “Hospital Bed Crawl” combines the grittiness of “Not Your Concern” and the pop stylings of “As You Cry;” and “Break the Sky” has splashes of the earlier, piano driven, flashback tracks, but sounds a lot more ready for contemporary radio. Actually, the composition of this song is so impressive (with male harmonies, subtle strings and a hint of Queen branded guitar), it in and of itself can be a perfect example of what to expect on the album. It’s funny, but in a sense it’s both fitting and odd that “Break the Sky” is the closing track and not the opener.
If you order the album digitally on iTunes you are rewarded with two bonus tracks (and a couple videos to boot), both of which are not included on the retail disc. Personally, I wish that they were on the CD, as it seems unfair that the people who actually want a physical disc (to have and to hold...), and who pay slightly more to own that disc are left being laughed at by their digi-savy brethren. The first song, "You Are My Home," is a beautiful example of how much Salpeter's voice has matured between albums. In fact, this song might better demonstrate Salpeter’s vocal abilities than any other song in The Hush Sound’s repertoire. "Pretty Down to Your Bones" exemplifies her fantastic songwriting abilities, with resonating lines like "You are the neck of the bottle I'm living in," and stays true to the ragtime sound of previous songs, but with a nice, heavy backbeat to the tune of Bob's guitar. While this song doesn't necessarily add anything to the album (and so I can understand why it wasn't included as a main track), it is still quite enjoyable and should be heard by any fan of The Hush Sound - which is why it is sad that many of the fans who purchase Goodbye Blues will never get to listen to it. I suppose you could just buy both versions...
If you somehow haven’t come to this conclusion yet, Goodbye Blues is an incredible album from beginning to end. While I wouldn’t say that it is better than Like Vines, (just as I wouldn’t say that Like Vines was better than So Sudden), I will say that it is refreshingly different. It is also the most mature and accomplished THS album to date. My only real gripe is the overall lack of Bob’s vocals, but that doesn’t mean that there should be any less of Greta’s. On the contrary, it just means that I wish there were more songs in general.
The Hush Sound have delivered a beautiful work of art that simultaneously pays homage to its early American influences and paves the way for a wave of new and exciting musical experimentation. Goodbye Blues should be the handbook that all current musicians use as influence; not to create a carbon copy of it, but to realize that you don’t have to make the same music over and over again. Dare I call this album a masterpiece? The Hush Sound haven’t failed me yet; so yes, I dare.
