Last year's debut album from Cush proved to be one of the best albums of the year, bringing together a boatload of talent to produce a dreamy, trippy disc. Well this year, the band is back with a whole new sound. Previously available only to those who attended Cornerstone, the limited edition Cush e.p. will soon be available to those of you who couldn't make it to Bushnell.
This time around, Cush serves up a louder, rockier, more uptempo disc, rooted heavily in 70s punk and 80s new wave. And while it sounds like an entirely different band, the core is still here, featuring Eric Campuzano, Wayne Everett, Frank Lenz, and Andy Prickett. Gone are Mike Knott's vocals, but sharing the microphones are Everett, Scott Malone (Lenen), Michael Pritzl (The Violet Burning), and Travis.
From the noisy opening track "Halo Sounds" through the rambunctious "Rev it Up," to the more melodic "The Brightest Light" (can anyone say Modern English?), this album is just pure fun. And be careful if you try to look too deeply into the lyrics. I hear the words, I read the words, but I'll be durned if I can tell what the heck they're talking about most of the time. But they are fun just the same. Some of the lyrics seem like pure nonsense ("Rabbits run where furs become the beating of hearts"), but there are a few more poignant and spiritual moments. And all in all, this is a good disc that is much too short. It's a good thing the band is already working on its next full-length.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Michial Farmer"The Super-Band Cush" is back with a limited-edition concept EP about the life and career of Michael Knott. Knott himself has left the group, taking with him the dreamy pop sound found on their debut, New Sound. In his place are a variety of vocalists, most notably The Violet Burning's Michael J. Pritzl and newcomer Scott Malone, who, along with the rest of the band, have switched to a 1970s…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Brian A. SmithIf you came of age in the late 80's/early 90's as I did, you will think Cush's EP is an undiscovered gem from that era. There are eight songs here that evoke memories of Echo & the Bunnymen, Love and Rockets, the 77s, the Ramones, and Steve Taylor. "Rev it Up" is an alternative song mixed with British punk with a dash of The Doors woven throughout. "Blessed to Kill" plows straight ahead, then…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Kerry MaffeoWhen in doubt, make it all-star. For Cush, the flame of music refused to die even when the bands the members were in disintegrated. From Prayer Chain to LSU to Adam Again and everything in between, this is healthy mesh of old-fashioned rock and art rock. The eight track EP opens with "Halo Sounds," a track reminiscent of a Prayer Chain song, which is not surprising. Each song carries traits of…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Trae CadenheadThe year 2000 brought us the debut album from Christian rock all-star band Cush. Composed of members of bands such as Prayer Chain, Honey, and Starflyer 59, and sporting lead singer Mike Knott, the band was a hit among long-time Christian rock listeners even before they released an album. That debut from Cush utilized a rather mellow, but very fresh and atmospheric sound. This year's second…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Bert GanglAlthough the colleagues of Cush hail from some of Christian music's most successful and revered alternative rock bands, tagging its collection of artists a supergroup seems somewhat of a misnomer. To be sure, the group's membership includes players from such highly esteemed alternative outfits as the Violet Burning, Duraluxe, Fold Zandura and the Prayer Chain, among others. But, in the words of…Similar sounding releases
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