Eclectic sound intriguing

In four years, The Hush Sound has gone from nonexistence to relative fame. They formed in 2004, started recording music in 2005 and were discovered by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy in the same year. Since evidently Pete Wentz can do whatever he wants, his label signed them to a record deal, and The Hush Sound has now released its third album Goodbye Blues.

The band has maintained its sound from its previous two releases, So Sudden and Like Vines, but has made subtle changes; the band delves into the realms of early-20th-century jazz as well as rock ’n’ roll and a little bit of classical piano – rather than their earlier, more straight-indie-pop style. In fact, almost every track on the album has a slightly different flavor to it: “Hurricane” sounds at times like a Norah Jones song, only not crushingly boring, while “Molasses” sounds like an update on a song that might be played in a Prohibition-era speakeasy.

The strongest track on the album is probably “As You Cry,” reminiscent of “Sweet Tangerine” from the band’s previous release. The song is a microcosm of the band’s change, though – both songs are fast and strong through the verse; but where “Tangerine” slows down the strong beat for the chorus, “As You Cry” is actually more intense during the chorus, maintaining the more rock-style feel.

The album has two major flaws, though. First, the album’s 13-song track list is misleading, as the album includes an introduction and an interlude. “Intro” could actually be a legitimate song, but it ends up as only a fragment. The interlude seems mostly useless.

The other flaw is a change from earlier albums – co-lead singer and pianist Greta Salpeter has taken over vocal duties for the majority of the tracks. A draw of earlier works was the variation between songs sung by Salpeter and those sung by lead guitarist Bob Morris. That duality is mostly sacrificed here.

The album succeeds overall, and fans of the band will most likely not be disappointed. Goodbye Blues’ eclectic sound intrigues the listener, and the album improves with each listen.