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| Hush Hush Biography, Fake |
“Fake” is the result of a number of hard fought battles. When Hush Hush recorded “Cinematheque”, it’s debut album, they weren’t really a band. Hush Hush evolved out of Imaginary Heaven, a group that singer/guitarist Keri Steele formed as a teenager in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. After three albums, Steele felt the need to stretch artistically and explore more contemporary forms of music. Forming Hush Hush enabled her to create an identifiable sound while initially allowing Steele the flexibility of working with a variety of musicians. The highly melodic, loop-based results were immediate and resulted in the recording of “Cinematheque” with producer Ken Harrison of Wild Strawberries. The All Music Guide reviewed the album and said, “Hush Hush offers one trip-hop adventure after another while a remix-like atmosphere encapsulates each song."
When it came time to play the songs live, Steele decided that she really wanted Hush Hush to become a band. That proved harder to achieve than she ever imagined. It was important to find not only the right musicians, but the right people as well. Line-ups came and went. A video was shot and abandoned. Frustrations surfaced, but gradually a new sound and a new band emerged. The turning point was a month long residency at a small club in Toronto. The low key atmosphere allowed Hush Hush the opportunity to take some risks while still honing their skills. It was where Steele first started to play electric guitar. It was also where Hush Hush realized that a more stripped down approach was the direction to take.
The first person to join the new line-up was classically trained cellist Anissa Hart. Brought up in Edmonton, she has been playing music since the age of eight. Stretching the instrument to its sonic limits, Hart plays her cello through an array of effects pedals. Next to join was bassist Nina Martinez. The youngest member of Hush Hush played in her high school jazz ensemble before playing in a number of Toronto-area jam bands. Martinez took great pleasure in introducing her fuzz box into the group’s edgier mix. A little over a year ago, Gail Thompson completed the group. As a founding member of the Calgary-based band Red Autumn Fall, she opened for Oasis, recorded two critically-acclaimed albums and earned a reputation as a solid drummer. Thompson’s experience locked in the rhythm section and brought a real sense of tightness to Hush Hush.
Gaining confidence, Hush Hush started to get noticed. This year, the band created a buzz at both New Music West in Vancouver and at the North By Northeast Music Festival in Toronto. On a creative roll, they went into Phantom Studios to record their new album with producers The Confidence Emperors. “Fake” begins with the electric guitar driven “Never Your Fault” and ends with the acoustic thoughtfulness of “Fake”. The track “Razor Girl” has been included in the U.S. movie “Particles of Truth” starring Gale Harold (Queer As Folk). “Our sound lends itself easily to film and that’s an area that we hope to explore more of in the near future.” In the meantime, “Fake” is scheduled for a September 23rd release in Canada on the popguru label, distributed nationally by Maple Music/Universal.
What the critics are saying:
"....Gail Thompson, formerly of Red Autumn Fall, has moved on and now drums with another New Music West buzz band, Hush Hush." Calgary Sun
"The talk of the festival (NXNE) was an all girl band called Hush Hush...." TRADE
“(Steele’s) ingenuousness infuses the dreamy pop she creates in Hush Hush and the result is mesmerizingly mellow.” Now Magazine
“Newcomers Hush Hush probably have the most interesting track here, smoothing the effortless harmonies of former Imaginary Heaven members Keri Steele and Nina Loretto over a scratchy loop and some buzzing guitar noise. Nice, and a taste of the future.” Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
"Hush Hush offers one trip-hop adventure after another while a remix-like atmosphere encapsulates each song." All Music Guide
“I’ve already mentioned in these pages how wonderfully sensual and haunting Hush Hush is.” Spill Magazine
“Captivating voices teamed with sensual sounds makes this band one to look out for. New to the live scene, their set on this night was strong and beautiful.” Sparklesk Magazine
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