The Hussy on Fistful of Records

Bobby contacted me about his band The Hussy. Turns out they have a couple of singles out and would I want to hear them? A duo from Madison, WI? Of course I wanted to hear it.

Bobby ended up sending both of their releases, this one is from Fistful of Records A 'strictly underground vinyl label'...underground vinyl? Why am I only hearing about his now you ask? Well, turns out they are based in Holland...so it's not something I would have ever stumbled on if it weren't for The Hussy, they also released a Jeff Novak 7" in 2004! Way ahead of the curve. Hussy's other single, a split with other single with Sleeping with the Aviary, I'm planning on getting to later this week.

This Winter Daze EP is a screened three tone fluorescent pink, gold and black hand stamped screened sleeve, with tiny mice running all over the place on it. Bobby's drinking a beer and Heather is holding a lollipop and a hairbrush. You know.... now that I describe that... it really makes perfect sense. Drinking and lollipops. A punch in the face and a box of wine. Two things that even if you don't want them to...they will end up going together. They're trying to punch your ears in the face with 6 tracks of dense power pop.

I love duos, I think there is immediately something special about two people together collaborating with two instruments and two vocals...especially when it's a guy and a girl then there's another entity entirely. When it works in any genre it can be so genius...Matt and Kim, Mates of State...I don't know...It just allows for something really unique to happen.
The Hussy are creating this huge pop punk sound, harmonizing off each other. They trade off vocals, swapping versus, Heather sings backup woooo's, while Bobby is creating the chorus. They fill every second of every song making as loud of a harmonious power chord punch as humanly possible.

The A-Side standout is definitely the 'Drinking Song' which can be summed up in 6 words, 'Let's go out and drink tonight.' Clearly they are a live crowd pleaser, this whole sound is distilled from what must be a lot of experience playing live. Don't give anyone a second to get their bearings, don't give anyone a second to question if two people can blow the doors off with a verse chorus verse. Everything across both sides is crisp and punchy, there's not a hiss or over modulation to be found. The Hussy wants to be clear...here's the song, we're not hiding behind anything and when this over, we're going to do it again.

On the B-Side track Head Set, I love this singing back and forth almost half mocking each other yelling 'Head Set!'. On 'Winter Daze' they have this great almost Pixies like harmony here ...Bobby is mostly doing his talking vocals but Heather's inspiring a harmony, it sounds like she's got a trained voice, leading the melody. This one isn't as frantic as the other steamroller tracks, and it's a great title cut.

Then on 'Turkey' they get a little off the pop punk train here and almost go... dare I say grunge? The chords have a lot of distortion and length to them. there's a lot more layers and even some kind of electronics. I don't know for me it's something from that late 90's Mudhoney...with a little Dino Jr. thrown in. At the end, when the track fades out it sounds like Bobby and Heather are reading reviews of bands? Was this going on the whole track? Are these reviews of Hussy?

I have to say these songs flow together really well, it's a concise sample of Hussy's power. I'm going over the tracks individually, but that's like dissecting every piece of sushi, it's a perfect bite...don't think about it too much, and before you know it, it's gone, but it was damn good while it lasted.

From fistful of records who pressed it but look locally where it's available from distros Floridas Dying (they should be getting more in soon) and puke n vomit (catchy). Or you can hit them up directly on their myspace you guys can work something out.