News

May 4, 2008 In Laura Gibson, News

Doing it better + Laura Gibson limited EP out now.

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We’re very pleased to announce that if you buy any CD from the HUSHshop, you now receive a FREE album download as well, on the spot. No waiting for Mr. Postman to listen to the music, while at the same time retaining the joy of the parcel, the artifact, the liner notes, the art, and the superior sound quality. Here’s the kicker: we do it for less than iTunes! CD in the mail and instant download: $9.97. Hot dog!


 Or if you like, just choose the Download only, on any title, and we’ll knock a couple bucks off.

The new shop is pretty spiffy, and scheduled to get spiffier. (Look for easy to audition song samples rolling out soon.) But, again, if you haven’t familiarized yourself with our podcast, it’s a great way to test drive our albums out in the field, away from the computer, where music often sounds a bit better. We just put up an enhanced sampler mix (just click subscribe in iTunes) of exquisite new Laura Gibson EP, Six White Horses which is now available in the HUSHshop. This release is limited to a few hundred leftovers from her recent tour. A collector’s piece to be sure.

We’re so hyped about this we’re pulling another first: use the coupon code hushluvsu for 15% off your entire order in the month of May. Use it wisely: limit 1 per customer.

Thanks for sticking with us!

April 23, 2008 In News, Shelley Short

Water for the (Earth) Day.

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photo: Laurent Orseau

Yes it is the day after Earth Day, but I suppose we’re being fashionably late with a few announcements regarding the lovely Shelley Short.

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  • Water For The Day is out now. Available at finer retailers and via iTunes and others.
  • We just posted the FREE enhanced HUSHcast of Shelley Short’s Water For The Day available also via iTunes.
  • Water For The Day is the first of several releases to sport our new HUSH 100% recycled content packaging. It’s an eco, handsome and nice-to-touch packaging alternative. Consider a purchase at the HUSHshop.
  • Shelley shared a few words about her latest album with The indefatigable Large Hearted Boy blog for their Note Books series.
  • Lastly, here’s what the locals have to say about it:

    • “Shelley Short The sweet-voiced Short knows how to bring power to her vocals, with a broad emotional range that makes her folk songs sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, sometimes both. “ – The Oregonian

    “Sounding like the gorgeous-voiced kid sister of Neko Case, Shelley Short treats folk music with a mere fleeting interest, liberally picking and choosing from the storied genre with great care on her third full-length, Water for the Day.” – Portland Mercury

    “She’s able to come across cute and wise all at once, which is no easy feat. On “How Grand,” she employs coos that might seem campy or twee in another songwriter’s hands, but Short comes across more like a gentle owl offering tidbits of worldly insight from high atop a gnarled, windswept tree.” – Willamette Week

    April 22, 2008 In News

    The Auteur at Tribeca Film Festival, NYC, this week.

    The Auteur is a hilarious indie film, made in Portland by writer / director James Westby, featuring HUSH artists on the majority of the soundtrack. It’s screening serveral times this weekend at The Tribeca Film Festival, which had the presence of mind to highlight its “great indie rock soundtrack”. Below is a making-of reel. (A brief warning: may not be suitable for work, etc. Features blocked out nudity and language.) If you are in the NYC area this weekend we implore you to go see it! It’s an original mix of raunchiness and sweetness that will have you rolling in the aisle. For showtimes and more go to theauteurmovie.com or make friends on myspace.

    April 21, 2008 In Laura Gibson, News

    On The Road With Laura Gibson

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    Laura’s been out on the road with Colin Meloy for a couple weeks now, opening the shows and singing duets with the most famous HUSH alumni. The route took them through DC, where Ms. Gibson had the pleasure of meeting Bob Boilen of NPR. Bob intived her to his desk cubicle to perform for those who weren’t on deadline for an off the cuff performance of “Hands In Pockets”. Have a look. The payoff is a the end, I think.

    Very endearing, as always.

    April 15, 2008 In News, Nick Jaina

    Checking in again with Nick Jaina

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    Burlington Free Press offers this classy audio postcard montage. The lads are working their way back to Stumptown, but if you’re a Californian you’ll have no excuse not to catch them live, as they play every locale in the golden state over the next three weeks or so. (see sidebar for dates).

    As if maiking up for lost time, Nick waxed poetical in a tour diary update to rival the likes of Melville at localcut.com. The scene was Wichita, KS, and the outlook is temporarily dour (but in case you don’t make it to the end) everything is okay, everything is alright. The music goes on.

    We’ve also added Nick’s 2005 CD effort The Bluff Of All Time, and some handsome Nick Jaina related Tees to the HUSHshop.

    April 10, 2008 In News, Shelley Short

    Shelley Short: Gifts From Paris & Portland

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    photo: Laurent Orseau

    We’re pleased to announce that Shelley’s third album Water For The Day is now available for early order in the HUSHshop. Shelley will be playing a not-to-miss CD Release show at The Someday Lounge in Portland this Sunday April 13th before a short west coast tour to begin later in the month.

    Thanks to Laurent Orseau, who since 2001 have fostered creativity with rare kindness and warmth with their nonprofit association Hinah, a true gift to humanity from which songs, images, and writings spring eternal. Shelley Short recently stopped in and annointed their new flat with a few songs:

    Find this and more at Hinah.com

    1 – “Godamn Thing”
    00:02:49 / 3.23 MB
    2 – “Sunny Side”
    00:02:37 / 2.99 MB
    3 – “Swimming”
    00:03:23 / 3.88 MB
    4 – “How Grand”
    00:03:18 / 3.78 MB
    5 – “Bells Of Hell”
    00:01:57 / 2.23 MB

    March 24, 2008 In Laura Gibson, News

    New Tour-Only EP from Laura Gibson!

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    fresh photo: Melanie Brown

    Tour-Only Cover EPs are the de rigueur of today’s working musician. Colin Meloy announced his ode to Sam Cooke a few weeks back, and we are pleased to confirm the details of Laura Gibson’s (to open all tour dates for Meloy) cover EP counterpoint: Six White Horses: Blues & Traditionals Vol I Presented by Laura Gibson and Friends.

    Recorded over a weekend, in the kitchen, front porch and basement of an old Victorian House in Sellwood, Oregon, Six White Horses finds Laura Gibson reinterpreting six old blues and traditional songs that have greatly influenced her music and guitar-work. The sparse and somewhat improvisational arrangements came as a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Jason Leonard, seasoned in radio sound-effects and found-sound compositions.

    While Gibson’s guitarwork mostly adheres to the original blues composition, her voice, nylon strings, and reliance on non-traditional instrumentation bring the songs into a unique time and space. Gibson’s voice and classical guitar were projected and recorded through the speaker of an old-record player. Leonard contributes non-traditional instruments (washbucket, newpaper drums, porch stomping, bells, whistling, vibraphone and glockenspiels). A neighborhood saw player, known only as Mr. Fantastic, exchanged a few haunting melody lines for a bottle of whiskey. All songs were recorded by Sean Ogilvie who engineered the project, and contributed piano to “All the Pretty Horses”. The CD will be available exclusively on the tour, and as a digital release when the tour concludes.

    Tracklist

    All The Pretty Horses (traditional)

    One Dime Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson)

    Freight Train (Elizabeth Cotton)

    One Thin Dime (Mance Lipscomb)

    Black is the Color of My True Loves Hair (traditional)

    Dryland Blues (Furry Lewis)