The London-based rockers release a dazzling debut album
Two years on from the release of their self-titled debut EP, Shush are back with a whole album of new tunes and the improvement in quality is remarkable. Their brand of melodic rock is as infectious as a yawn and one thing is for certain; Shush sure do know how to write a good chorus. Their music may not be hugely original, but it does not matter in the slightest because 'Soundtrack Of My Life' is a joy to listen.
Shush waste no time in getting their album started, thundering into action with their new single, 'Do Want I Want'. The raging riff has a satisfying Velvet Revolver feel to it and the chorus simply oozes attitude. At times, the rhythm section seems uncharacteristically sloppy and lacks the precision that Shush are capable of. Minor performance criticisms aside, however, the song is compositionally faultless. The explosive opening of 'Got Caught in the Act' foreshadows the excellence of the song that is to unfold, with the second song boasting what is arguably the best chorus of the album. Experienced vocalist Milena Yum contributes one of many first-class performances and is perfectly complemented by a wonderful group of accomplished bandmates.
The grinding punk qualities of Shush's music emanate during 'All My Life', with the rhythmic jarring of the chorus proving to be particularly pleasing. Throughout many of the songs, the backgrounds are littered with random screams and shouts, which do add to the excitement and identity of the music, but sometimes seem unsuited to their aural environments. Built upon a chromatic riff and a simplistic chorus, 'Shout' is a great example of why Shush are so effective. They have found their niche and are simply brilliant at what they do. As the name might suggest, 'F**k You' is a no-holds barred riot of a song. The verses seem rather familiar, quite possibly because of the chord progression teasing you into thinking you're about to hear Green Day's 'Brain Stew,' with a subtle nod to ACDC's 'Back in Black' thrown in for good measure too.
Shush may be singing that they are "about to lose control" during 'You You Me Me,' but this is certainly no reflection on the development of the album, with the twelve-track opus continuing to plough on with invigorating spirit. As the album progresses it becomes apparent that Shush's music often centres around chord progressions that have been used countless times and should not, in theory, sound as refreshing as they do. Songs like 'Soundtrack Of My Life' and 'Blues' defy the odds and have a stunning likeability to them, despite the lack of innovation being exercised.
In a contrasting nature to the preceding tracks, 'Stay' reveals a gentler side to the quartet's sound, which is still propelled by the momentum of the album but showcases a more sensitive character. 'Miss Bunny' and 'Favourite Game' are both solid additions to the album and although they lack the raw drive of previous songs, you will still find yourself singing along to them in no time at all.
Rounding off what had been an incredible journey of unadulterated rock is the utterly bizarre 'You Will Never Get'. One can only presume that this is a tongue-in-cheek attempt at a metal song. The lyrical rhyming is admittedly effective, but the vocals are just ridiculously silly. Shush sound as though they have just been possessed by the devil. That can't be good.
We are always encouraged to never judge a book by its cover. The same concept can be applied to this album; don't judge 'Soundtrack Of My Life' by the first and last songs. Listen to the chapters in between and you will discover Shush's finest works.
When an album takes residency in your CD player, you know it must have something special. Shush's 'Soundtrack Of My Life' is a magnificent debut album and should be regarded as a superb achievement. However it is unfortunately tainted by a couple of inconsistencies that do not quite match up to the high standard set throughout. Overall though, this is one of the strongest debut albums of 2010 and suggests that Shush have a loud and electrifying future ahead of them.