The Hush Sound

What began as casual jam sessions between guitarist Bob Morris and pianist/guitarist Greta Salpeter gradually evolved into the Chicago indie pop quartet the Hush Sound. A pianist classically trained since the age of three, Salpeter met Morris through mutual friends during their respective seventh- and tenth-grade years. The pair continued playing whenever schedules permitted, and by the winter of 2004/2005 they had turned their attention to serious songwriting. Initially known simply as the Hush, the project later added “Sound” to its name after discovering that a rapper already used the shorter title. The acoustic duo then decided to incorporate drums and bass, prompting Morris to reach out to Chicago-scene acquaintances Darren Wilson on drums and Chris Faller on bass, both of whom were seeking new musical outlets. Wilson committed first, yet Faller joined only after reviewing a recording of the trio’s initial performance; impressed, he left his two existing bands and completed the lineup in February 2005.

All four members share vocal duties. One month later the group entered the studio to record its debut full-length, So Sudden. After self-releasing the album, the band sold three hundred copies across just two nights, quickly establishing a loyal local audience. Tracks posted on the band’s purevolume.com page caught the ear of Pete Wentz, bassist and de facto spokesman for Fall Out Boy, who signed the Hush Sound to his Fueled by Ramen imprint Decaydance in July 2005; So Sudden was reissued that October. The sophomore album Like Vines followed in June 2006, broadening the group’s sweetly melodic piano-tinkering pop and leading to tour dates alongside Panic! at the Disco. At the close of 2007 the quartet relocated to North Hollywood to begin work on a third studio album, Goodbye Blues, which appeared the following spring. In 2009 the band announced an indefinite hiatus so members could explore other projects. Salpeter subsequently released an album with the Gold Motel, while Morris formed the band Stamps and issued the album Tramps in 2010. After a five-year break, the Hush Sound reunited in 2012, resumed live performances, and outlined plans to record and release new material in 2013.