Review: Hush Money – Go back Home
Hush Money Band LLC (August 1st 2024)
Reviewer: Chris O’Connor
Since my mid-teens I have been a colossal fan of Southern Rock, at one time boasting the biggest collection of the genre’s albums in the UK – what I’m saying to use an old parlance is “I know my onions”. I say this because I can confidently tell you that Hush Money are very much the real deal when it comes to Southern Rock.
Hailing from Georgia, the quartet: Seth Weaver (guitars/vocals), Greg Weaver (drums/vocals), Caleb Logan (guitars/vocals) and Nathanial Newberry (bass guitars). I think I’m right in saying that the band has an unofficial fifth member in the form of keyboardist Erik Deutsch, whose input is considerable throughout.
The band’s sound is rooted in ‘70’s Rolling Stones, The Outlaws, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dan Baird/Georgia Satellites, and arguably modern contemporaries like The Steel Woods, Blackberry Smoke and even Popa Chubby. The band skilfully mixes up Southern Rock, Country Rock, and Blues with consummate ease, their sound is slightly unusual as they have no less than three lead vocalists, each of whom acquits himself with real panache.
The band has a delicious swaggering ‘looseness’ to their sound, it is absolutely unforced and organic, and there is a genuine joyousness to what they do. This is an album that puts a big smile on your face and makes you want to stamp your feet and do your ‘thang’ (whatever that me be). It’s a really classic sounding album in every respect, hitting all my musical ‘sweet spots’, and I’m listening to it a lot at the moment.
From the minute the title track kicks in (yes it’s the opening number), you’re instantly swept along in the band’s wake, as the music is all big riffs and a humdinger of a chorus, it’s terrific stuff. ‘No Questions’ is a country track, but it’s not the twee twangy stuff that makes you go ‘Ugh’, it’s still genuinely cool. ‘Steve McQueen’ is a slow and smouldering Country Rock number, very much in the American Storyteller tradition. ‘San Antonio Dream’ has a dreamy kind of Eagles quality to it, though it loses marks for me for the unnecessary violins!
‘Copperhill’ is another country track, still with violins, but they work this time. It’s another slow and atmospheric number, and it has a great hook. ‘Sellout City’ is an absolute romp, with a pumping rock ‘n’ boogie piano driving it, it’s a song for a sweaty bar as I guarantee everybody would be dancing (or fighting?), it’s terrific stuff. Next up is ‘Badside’ which is full on Southern Rock badass, with a creeping riff that ‘Skynyrd would have been proud to have penned – it’s utterly brilliant!
‘Think Back To Mama’ is a more laidback and reflective number, with a lyric reflecting a wish for simpler and easier times. It features some tasty lead guitars and is another gem of a song. ‘Need A Little Rain’ continues with the more contemplative mood, with a lazy riff and another nice vocal. Following this is ‘Adios Chinatown’, which yet again follows the more ruminative mood, by now I do wish they were mixing up the tempo’s a little. ‘El Paso Serenade’ does pick up things somewhat, again I’m reminded of the Eagles or even The Flying Burrito Brothers (never a bad thing).
‘Cold Bars’ could have been penned by Shooter Jennings (a major compliment), it’s a slow, downbeat track, but with soaring lead guitars, and is one of my favourite numbers. The album closes with ‘It Ain’t Love’, an old school Country number, it could have been written by Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis or any of the old country guard. It’s an okay number, but frankly the coda should have been ‘Cold Bars’ – which would have ended the album far more powerfully. ‘Go Back Home’ is a very good album that frustratingly falls short of greatness, that being said, I thoroughly look forward to what the boys do next, when they Rock, they’re terrific – and maybe that’s the lesson for them … Hell Yeah!
Tracklist:
- Go Back Home
- No Questions
- Steve McQueen
- San Antonio Dream
- Copperhill
- Sellout City
- Badside
- Think Back To Mama
- Need A Little Rain
- Adios Chinatown
- El Paso Serenade
- Cold Bars
- It Ain’t Love
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