That Was The Show That Was: The Hush Now | Great Scott | 2 August

About five minutes after guitarist and singer Noel Kelly casually mentioned that The Hush Now wasn't really shoegaze, he was on stage with the band he founded laying out intense, wavering guitar atmospherics alongside lead guitarist Adam Quane. We certainly don't dispute that The Hush Now isn't a precise fit for the shoegaze tag, but as the band's music grows increasingly powerful and nuanced, it ain't just indie pop anymore, either. Indeed, the real story last night was the precision and control the band displayed conjuring illuminating intros and outros for the songs that conveyed impressive musicianship amongst the five players. It was a great show.

The band opened with a moving iteration of "Thorns" and then sprung headlong into a dangerously fast version of "Traditions," both older tracks from the band's repertoire. However, The Hush Now also used last night as an opportunity to showcase material from its sparkling forthcoming EP Shiver Me Starships, which the band will self-release next month. Of particular note was the live airing of the new tune "For What It's Worth," an almost bluesy ballad that was much more visceral when played live than its recorded version. The Hush Now also played "Big Awesome," which may be the EP's strongest track, and then closed with the bouncy and delightful EP opener "The Other Ones."

The Hush Now will perform Saturday in Somerville, Mass. at P.A.'s Lounge as part of the Deep Heaven Now festival. You can view more details about the festival, including the running order and transportation options, right here. Haven't heard any of the new EP yet? Here's "The Other Ones."

The Hush Now's "The Other Ones"

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