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Album Review

Hush Arbors
Yankee Reality Ecstatic Peace! Records

Article written by Ged M - Nov 16, 2009

Hush Arbors: Yankee Reality

On the self-titled first album, Hush Arbors’ main man, Keith Wood, was aided by Ben Chasny (plus his usual foil Leon Dufficy); for the second, it’s J Mascis. The effect is to add a Dinosaur Jr overdrive to a mixture of psych-folk and country-rock – which is pleasant enough on first hearing but has an insidiously compelling effect on subsequent spins. Mascis produces and plays on three tracks and his influence is very apparent: the strongly 'American Girl'sounding 'For While You Slept' has Mascis' wild soloing all over it while he adds dramatic, strings-sounding Mellotron to the soulfully choogling country beat of 'Coming Home'. And the album ends with 'Devil Made You High', a garage rock wall-of-sound wig out which shows a clear Dinosaur Jr inspiration.

What makes it so listenable is the wealth of influences, some apparent and some buried deep. For sure, Wood’s relocation to London has given him new perspective, as has his collaboration with experimental weird-folkers Current 93, when you untangle the skeins that make up the album. There’s a country strain that reminds me most of the See See and their 70s-ish West Coast-inspired rock. There’s a dedication to Link Wray on the sleeve that’s borne out by the fuzz guitar that adorns the brilliant 'Lisbon'. 'Fast Asleep' is haunted psych rock that burns slowly while the languid atmospheres of 'So They Say' remind you of early Neil Young. It’s a strange cauldron of old ideas from which bubble up some great songs. The first record has purer influences but this one has the catchiest.

Links:
http://www.ecstaticpeace.com/husharbors
http://www.myspace.com/husharborsmusic