THE CUSH

July 2007

Burlington, Vermont may be better known as a living playground for outdoor enthusiasts but the lushly psychedelic quartet known as The Cush are one of the hottest local attractions around. Formed in Dallas, Texas in 2000, The Cush features the sympathetic songwriting of husband and wife co-founders Gabrielle and Burette Douglas. Armed with vintage tape delays and a batch of psych-pop mini suites, the band recorded their self-titled debut before deciding to relocate to the cold northeast. Once resettled the band began tinkering with their tunes, adding slow-core and alt-country influences to their already richly textured sound.

After playing with several prominent Vermont musicians, the band settled on a permanent lineup. Now a four-piece, the Cush features Gabby on bass and vocals, Burette on guitar and vocals, drummer Steve Hadeka and longtime Cush associate and fellow Texan Chris Brodie on keys. The group's gorgeous harmonies and hypnotic pulse sounds a bit like Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris fronting My Bloody Valentine, or even Neil Young sitting in with Radiohead. Gabby's thick, serpentine bass lines provide a rock-solid foundation for the palatial guitars, while drummer Hadeka drives the group through each sonic permutation.

Effects and flourishes aside, it's obvious that The Cush carry some serious compositional weight. Their sophomore release, New Appreciation for Sunshine, finds the band cycling through everything from stygian dirges to revved-up rockers, with blasts of summery bliss in between. With a fully realized musical vision and the ability to transmit it to audio, The Cush is experimental pop alchemy of the highest order.

Don't miss The Cush in the HG Showcase Lounge on Saturday, July 28. http://www.thecush.com/