old tape delays,
birds chirping,
books,
dub soundsystems,
trees,
jack kirby,
wind,
constellations ,
analog equipment,
rhythm in nature,
margaret kilgallen,
comic books,
west texas thunderstorms,
plants,
pop chalee,
gardens,
lock grooves,
ocean mountains,
noise,
star wars esp.empire strikes back soundtrack,
japanese animation,
painting/drawing,
guitar feedback,
low-end frequencies,
folk art,
space
"If You're Looking for Burlington's Coolest Band, Look No Further"
-Burlington Free Press
"Currently Vermont's secret, The Cush have delivered a fine record that's well worth seeking out and thoroughly deserves to generate the band much wider acclaim than they seem to have garnered thus far."
-Geraint Jones, Comes with a Smile (UK)
Everything changed the day Gabrielle and Burette Douglas moved to Vermont.
Yes Vermont; as laidback and lush as that locale is, it also has a thriving art scene that's attracted a steady stream of folk, noise and freeform 'WTF?' musicians in recent years. In other words, it's the perfect place to start over; or in the case of the Douglas', to spark a new project after more than a decade of toiling around the tight but competitive environs of Dallas, Texas.
Okay, toiling might not be the right word here. After all, Gabrielle and Burette nearly 'made it' numerous times during the limited life span (1992-2000) of Buck Jones, a riff-raking bastard child of the Buzz Clip/Alternative Nation age not unlike such hometown heroes as Tripping Daisy and the Toadies.
"The Dallas scene was big in the late '90s, leaving us with the potential to make lots of money and that created a lot of club-band politics," explains Burette. "Which was a bit of a turnoff. That's one reason we wanted to change locations when we started The Cush—a new band with a clean slate."
Another reason for the liberation of Buck Jones' married half was dealing with the unrealistic (and oft-off base) demands of several potential suitors, especially ones that were convinced of the band's "radio friendly" potential.
"Many labels said we needed to pick one singer, either Gabrielle or me," says Burette. "Which we never understood, having grown up on the Eagles, the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. They wanted to mold us into something they thought they could market easily: a sexy female lead singer with a backing rock band. We're so glad we never caved into that."
Interestingly enough, The Cush's self-titled debut was the couple's first experience recording at home, without any eyes prying into the process. Because of this, the band finally felt free to explore everything from the haunting echo chamber soundtrack of "Hollow" to the synth-slinging shock waves and rippling melodies of "The Stranger." Having arrived in July of 2001 with the album in hand, The Cush immediately attracted the attention of critics and potential fans upon their arrival in Burlington.
"People were like, 'Whoa, who's this new band on the scene?'" explains Burette. "That definitely helped create a nice aura around The Cush right off the bat."
It also helped the group score several key opening slot gigs, including shows with Cat Power, Broken Social Scene, Deerhoof, and the Fiery Furnaces. All the while, Gabrielle felt swept up in a state she'd been fascinated with since the third grade. As she explains it, "It began while learning the state capitols, tree, birds, flowers … I was completely drawn to pictures of Vermont. I could kind of lose myself in them. In many ways, I feel like Texas is home but Vermont is home as well for totally different reasons. The beauty of the land and all of the artists around—it is inspiring on many levels to live here."
That inspiration really took over as The Cush spent four years handcrafting the space-cadet country and psychedelic pop of their second record, New Appreciation For Sunshine. A DIY experience through and through, the album was recorded throughout Vermont, from drum tracks at a friend's loft (a former Masonic lodge) to vocals in a Richmond library room rife with natural reverb.
"Personal and musical transitions were abundant on that album," says Gabrielle. "In hindsight, they were necessary for our music to evolve."
The Cush now has their own rehearsal space/studio in Burlington, but sessions for an as-yet-untitled third effort have been split between Texas and Vermont, with Cody Lee—a fellow Buck Jones survivor—recording his drums at the former and the Douglas' fleshing out songs at the latter. True to The Cush's reputation over their last two records, this one's generated some serious left-field selections—songs that stick to The Cush's widescreen foundation as much as they rebuild the whole damn thing from the ground up.
"At this point it's sounding like our most diverse album yet," says Burette. "Some songs are straightforward and less psychedelic, some are more spacey, and some are heavier and faster than anything we've done before."
Oh and if you're wondering what artists and albums provided the bullet points for each song, Burette insists, "We try not to be too influenced by other music when making a record. We're really just trying to make beautiful, melodic music that is original and vital."
Some standouts thus far: the ringing wave pool riffs and immediate melodies of "The Vigilant Ones," the solos that slice through the murder balladry of "Northern Memory," and Gabrielle's personal favorite, "Desert Day," which she describes as "an experimental, melodic, poetic song with groovy time changes."
Whatever happens to this mounting pile of music (a hefty EP might drop before another full-length), The Cush is determined to keep cranking cuts out. Hell, they've been doing this for more than 15 years, so why stop now, right?
"I feel like we grew up together doing this in a lot of ways," says Burette. "We started off pretty green, but now we're older and wiser—hopefully."
WARNING: CANNIBALPLANET live show is a graphic multi-media performance with footage including nudity and real-life violence as a mode for cultural commentary. discretion and common sense is advised.
thanks, don't really know what i'm doing yet, and not enough time to figure it out, w/ the babies needing me and all, but i'll get there one day (maybe)
Hey The Cush: Thanks for becoming friends with the band Drizzle. Diggin the smooth ass tracks. I feel very....yes good...Thanks too you... Continued Success in 2008 and beyond.
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