Review
The Hussy
Looming

It’s been fun watching The Hussy grow. All those scuzzy, dirty licks and rough-and-tumble beats of their early work is still present, but on Looming the now-trio lets the once understated melodies take the lead. It’s driving rock with some notable grooves, but it’s also singalong with shades of ‘60s garage, psychedelia, and even hints of pop.

Looming contains 16 songs in total, alternating vocals between drummer Heather and guitarist Bobby -- and sometimes sharing those duties through melodic trade-offs. To generalize, Heather’s songs lean a little more pop while Bobby-sung songs get a little rougher with psych elements seeping tastefully into the mix. While there is a lot of classic influence going on from the likes of the Nuggets sets, the songs are concise and punchy without bloat. Overall, The Hussy is both accessible and scuzzy. On “No Credit” Bobby alternately yelps and sings. The song is immediately followed by the “Yeah yeah yeah/ Are you sorry…Oh Oh Oh” sensibilities of the Heather-fronted “Sorry.”

Other songs to stand out are the peppy “Better Stuff,” the reflective-sounding “Hung Up (Circle),” and “Cornflakes,” which pulls everything the band does together in a single song. It’s equally fuzzy and poppy, complete with whoa-ohs. There’s even some winking “look-what-we-just-did” going on in the case of song title “That’s The Way It Is (It Is),” which self-mocks their own pop repetition. “Erase/Her” really shows off the depth and harmony the group is capable of as a trio and “Ode To Self” has that driving, confrontational vibe of the band’s earlier work.

Normally, my book on ‘60s-influenced groups in the garage and psych vein is that the songs get samey and indistinguishable. Between potent hooks, an ear for melody, and production that captures the balance in between, Looming is seriously good and seriously unique from song to song.