I'm sure every city is littered with great bands that just, for whatever reason, never took off. Sometimes it's just bad timing, or lack of exposure, or the simple fact that the gods seem fond of cruel jokes and often raise up the unworthy while holding down the excellent.Chicago's Hushdrops are certainly well connected, leader John San Juan's "Summer People" was covered by The Webb Brothers and became a minor hit overseas. San Juan and fellow Hushdrop Joe Camarillo are both unbelievably talented musicians that can have performed in an astounding number of other bands over the years, but Hushdrops was always their baby.
The band's love of both The Beatles and the Who is evident in their songs, with both influences making their presence known without ever overtaking San Juan's own personal tone. His sweetly melancholic verses often go hand in hand with sunny pop choruses, while clean keyboard tones embed themselves amid the fuzzed out guitar lines. The end result is modern pop with a classic pulse, and songs that would have been breakout hits in a bygone era, and could still be hits once the future catches up to them.
Take a listen to two of my own favorites from Hushdrops' first (and only currently available) album, Volume One. if they pique your interest, and I'm sure they will, feel free to pick up your own copy and help a criminally overlooked band gain the recognition they so richly deserve.
MP3: Hushdrops "Emily"
MP3: Hushdrops "Doctor V"
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