The Husht, which is mostly made up of one guy, Philip Wright, is located in Carmichael, California. Some of his proudest moments in music was when he coached a youth band to a second place victory in the 2019 “Stairway to Stardom,” a music education program judged by the likes of Steve Brown (Oleander) and Brad Lang (Y&T). The previous year, Wright played on stage with Toryn Green (Fuel) to perform “Hemorrhage” as part of the mid-show entertainment. Recently, he’s played a solo acoustic set of his own material for The Bitter Elegance, a band that rose from the ashes of The Kimberly Trip (Sony RED artist) of days past. Wright is currently in a Pat Benatar tribute band (which is on hold due to COVID).
The band had the distinct pleasure of playing two gigs with the original bass player (Roger Capps) of Pat Benatar's band. The Husht is his first solo venture. The debut, To the Crows, was recorded in Fair Oaks, California, at the MasqueradeRecording Studio, engineered, produced, and mixed by Jeffry-Wynne Prince (of The Bitter Elegance and who helps out on bass and additional keys) and mastered by Rainer Gembalczyk. The album is a mix of genres – anything from modern rock and psychedelic pop to brooding melodies and space rock. On the opening track "Down the Rabbit Hole,” Wright states that it’s autobiographical – a modern rock jam that he wrote to cope with depression and anxiety, which nearly drove him to suicide. Fortunately, he survived and was able to begin his songwriting venture. I think Wright’s writing is clear, and if you’ve been there, his lyrics can’t be any more direct. The rabbit hole metaphor is spot on. I liked how he mixes a darker sound with this opener, too. Not straight rock, not straight pop, but elements of both with the edgy style. Wright’s first single "Can You Hear Me?" is a space rock, Pink Floyd-ish take on a sci-fi novella titled "Gypsy" by Carter Scholz. In return, Wright received an autographed copy of his book as thanks – pretty cool! I could hear the Pink Floyd influence, but also some elements of British modern pop of the 2000s, a la Snow Patrol. I liked the inspirational-like melody as well. Related to the opening track "She Fades Away,” is a biographical song for a young woman Wright knew who was struggling with severe depression and an eating disorder. Acoustically written, the lyrics cut deep. I thought this had a spacey edge to it as well, with the additional percussive effects adding great dimension. “From Where I Stand” features Merlot, a female singer whose voice pairs quite well with the song’s style and sound. The keys and string arrangements really added depth to this “earthy” like tune. “Hurt By You” has a driving bass-y force with grunge-ish guitar hooks. It’s definitely one of Wright’s heavier tunes and features a fantastic guitar solo and ending measures! “Send a Wave Around the World” has a different feel, more earthy and world beat, as Wright seems to add elements of a Brazilian or Spanish guitar style. The drums, played by Bractune, are deep and tribal and sounded excellent. “Gotta Go Home” finds Wright changing gears again, taking a page from a Nine Inch Nails playbook perhaps, or other ‘90s bands like Filter. His lyrics suggest hooking up with someone at a bar and “being drunk from the heat” but, “he’s gotta go home.” The final track of the album’s same name, is what Wright says “is completely outside of the mold – if you listen to nothing else, please listen to that one through the end as the final build decays and floats into a chorus of voices, crows, wind and more.” I tend to agree. Musically, Wright mixes a lot into this one – acoustic, rock, electronica, space – it’s a feast for the ears! Lyrically, the words are great and read like a classic song that could stand the test of time – “I keep getting older, keep on waiting to be wise / But every truth I find comes with another pack of lies.” I could not relate more. I liked the crow sounds and additional voices at the end, too. Overall, The Husht’s To the Crows, offers various sounds and styles which kept me engaged from the first track to the last.
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