Nate is a young musician living in the bay area who has something to say about The Limousines!
The tone of Hush was foreshadowed by The Limousines departure from Dangerbird Records and their decision to crowd source its funding via Kickstarter. Erik Victorino and Gio Giusti wanted complete creative control and as result Hush ends up sounding more intimate and raw. The Limousines have always been mature - even their tongue in cheek singles ‘Very Busy People’ and ‘Internet Killed the Radio Star’ were full of smart social commentary - but where 2011's Get Sharp lyrics muse on abstract concepts like existentialism and nihilism, Hush is centered around more introspective lyricism.
A more mature side of The Limousines is exposed on Hush. The album portrays the reality love and loss; Victorino bares his soul on Hush, but when The Limousines are at their rawest they are at their best. Two standouts are ‘Haunted’ where Victorino can’t escape the memories of his deceased friends and the title track ‘Hush’ where Victorino sings “don’t bother howling at the moon because the moon can’t hear you”. Victorino’s evolution towards maturity as a singer and lyricist is paralleled by Giusti’s evolution as a beat maker.
Giusti’s productions are the perfect balance of creative and infectious. His roots - his Jay-Z remix album The Bloody Album and Get Sharp - are evident but nothing on Hush feels recycled. The musical triumph of Hush is its diversity. ‘The Last Dance’ is a beautiful indie-pop trip-hop track similar to Purity Ring. ‘GRB 09042’ matches hip-hop drums with huge chants and vintage synths. ‘Fools Gold’ explodes into a saxophone solo that would make even George Michael jealous. The instrumentation on the album is as varied as the genres, however through it all Giusti manages to still sound like The Limousines.
The Limousines clearly avoided the sophomore slump with Hush. It is the culmination of three years of effort and it shows in the craftsmanship. It’s beautifully vulnerable. There are no weak spots on the album. The coalescence of the music, the melodies and the lyrics are incredibly engrossing and refreshing. Top to bottom Hush plays like an album and once you start you won’t be able to stop until it’s over. Overall, Hush is a great new album and it definitely merits a listen.
