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The Hush

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For other uses, see Hush (disambiguation).
The Hush
Studio album by
Texas
Released10 May 1999[1]
Recorded1998–1999
StudioShar's House, Park Lane (Glasgow, Scotland)
Genre
Length50:40
LabelMercury
ProducerJohnny McElhone (as "Johnny Mac")[2]
Texas chronology
White on Blonde
(1997) 		The Hush
(1999) 		The Greatest Hits
(2000)
Singles from The Hush
  1. "In Our Lifetime"
    Released: 12 April 1999[3]
  2. "Summer Son"
    Released: 9 August 1999[4]
  3. "When We Are Together"
    Released: 15 November 1999[5]

The Hush is the fifth album by Scottish rock band Texas. Released in May 1999 as the follow up to the previous studio album, White on Blonde (1997), the album went onto achieve similar international success than that of its predecessor. It debuted at number one in Scotland and the United Kingdom and spent a total of 43 weeks on the UK Album Chart.[6] It has been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. It performed strongly in a number of continental European album charts, reaching the top ten in France, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.[7]

Its release marked the first time that outside record producers were not involved in the production process of a Texas album. Instead, bassist Johnny McElhone, performing under the name Johnny Mac, assumed sole responsibly for the album's production.[2] Three singles were taken from the album: "In Our Lifetime", "Summer Son" and "When We Are Together".

Background and recording

[edit]

The album was recorded mostly in singer Sharleen Spiteri's house and was produced by co-songwriter Johnny McElhone.[8] Band member, Johnny McElhone, under the name of Johnny Mac, assumed the lead production duties during the recording of The Hush.[2] The decision to have a band member as the sole producer for the album was a major milestone for the band, as their previous albums had some involvement from outside record producers who were involved at various points throughout the recording of their previous releases. Three co-writers – Robert Hodgens, Mark Rae and Steve Christian – assist lead singer Sharleen Spiteri and McElhone in songwriting duties on the tracks “Tell Me the Answer”, “Summer Son” “Move In” and “The Day Before I Went Away". All other songs on the album were written solely by Spiteri and McElhone.[2]

During the recording of the album, the band were said to be "in an exploratory mood musically", having "shored up the technical aspects of the recording processes".[2] The band described "In Our Lifetime" as "Siouxsie's "Hong Kong Garden" remixed by Prince".[9] Andy Gill of The Independent wrote that "Day After Day" sounded like Diana Ross meeting Massive Attack and "Saint" as "Chrissie Hynde covering a Van Morrison song".[9]

Release and promotion

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The album was released internationally on 10 May 1999 via Mercury Records.[10] Released as the lead single of the album, "In Our Lifetime" reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart. The other singles, "Summer Son" and "When We Are Together" respectively peaked at number 5 and number 12 in the UK.[11] The Hush has been certified triple platinum by the BPI for UK sales in excess of 900,000 copies. This makes it the band's second most successful studio album after their previous album, White on Blonde (1997), which had been certified 6× Platinum.

Writing in Albumism, Quentin Harrison commented on the album saying "the autumnal pop sprawl favored for White on Blonde is exchanged for a summery amalgamation of R&B, jazz and guitar-pop sounds. Though there had been American and British pop-soul strains underneath Texas’ rock musculature on past endeavors, here Texas pull them forward to operate as the axis of The Hush. There are the elaborate anachronisms of “When We Are Together” and the title track that evoke spirits of The Supremes and Dusty Springfield. The striking album side “Day After Day” is a Thom Bell inspired downtempo number shamefully overlooked for consideration as a single". He further commented, saying "thematically, Texas salutes the incomparable art form of the love song in its various emotional shades of lust (“Summer Son”), joy (“Sunday Afternoon”) and melancholy (“Saint”). Spiteri's voice—boundless in its range—sketches vivid aural portraiture on “Tell Me the Answer” and “The Day Before I Went Away,” to spotlight just two entries. To call Spiteri a singular talent as a singer would be a vast understatement of her abilities".[2]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[13]
Pitchfork4/10[14]
Q[8]

The Independent wrote a favourable review, describing the song "Summer Son" as "funk motorik with bells Spectorising majestically away". Reviewer Andy Gill stated; "It's almost as if they've set out to make [...] a post-modern pop that sums up the entire history of this most varied of 20th-century media. The miracle is that they've just about pulled it off".[9] In a 4 out of 5 star review, Q magazine said; "Production is paramount to The Hush [...], but for all the handsome noise, it's Spiteri's -widening vocal palette that gives the songs personality. "Move In" is built upon the muscular funk framework of, say, [ Grace Jones 's] "Pull Up to the Bumper", but elevated by a light, hipswaying vocal. In case anyone thinks "When We Are Together" is standard Motown confection, Texas strip it back to Spiteri and a piano in the middle just to prove how strong it is. For "Day After Day", she's Dusty Springfield." Reviewer Andrew Collins concluded: this is "rare pop music that possesses both a collective personality and accumulated wisdom."[8]

Pitchfork wrote: "Summer Son" bounces along like two-toned buttocks frolicking under a silk skirt, while the title track slowjams erotically like Spiteri rubbing down her body with her eyes closed, lips blooming to reveal marble teeth and a sentient tongue. Well, no. Really, there's more to this "music" than the singer's looks. Really. Stop looking at that. She's out of our league. Give me that back. I want the artwork![14]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The Hush was regarded as a "repeat success" for Texas, as the follow up to their 1997 international successful fourth studio album White on Blonde. The Hush was a major success for the band, debuting atop the albums charts in both Scotland and the United Kingdom.[15][16] In the United Kingdom, it spent twelve weeks within the UK Top 10, and a further twenty-seven weeks within the Top 20, forty-three in the Top 40 and fifty-three within the Top 100 as a whole.[17] It continued a similar pattern in continental European albums charts to that of its predecessor, White on Blonde, debuting at number two on the French Albums Charts, and spent fifty-five weeks on the French charts.[7] In Switzerland, it peaked at number five and spent forty-two weeks on the Swiss Albums Charts, and in Germany, it spent thirty-seven weeks on the German Albums Charts following a peak of number seven. On the Austrian Albums Charts, it peaked at number eleven, spending a further nineteen weeks on the Austrian charts.[7]

In the Netherlands, it peaked at number twenty-nine, and went onto spend a total of twenty-two weeks on the Dutch Albums Charts, and in Belgium, it peaked at three on the Flanders Ultratip Albums Charts, spending forty-two weeks on the Flanders charts, and in the Wallonia region of Belgium, it peaked at number nine and went onto spend a total of forty four weeks on the Wallonia Albums Charts.[7] Elsewhere in Europe, it peaked within the top ten in Sweden, charting at number seven on the Swedish Albums Charts and spending a total of twenty-three weeks on the Swedish charts. In Norway, it reached the same position as it did in Sweden, and spent a total of eighteen weeks on the Norwegian Albums Charts. In Australia, however, it peaked at number seventy-five and in New Zealand, it reached number forty-two, and spent a further six weeks on the albums charts in New Zealand.[7]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."In Our Lifetime"Johnny McElhone, Sharleen SpiteriJohnny McElhone4:06
2."Tell Me the Answer"McElhone, Spiteri, Robert HodgensMcElhone, The Boilerhouse Boys3:54
3."Summer Son"McElhone, Spiteri, Eddie Campbell, HodgensMcElhone4:04
4."Sunday Afternoon"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone4:21
5."Move In"McElhone, Spiteri, Mark Rae, Steve ChristianMcElhone, Mark Rae, Steve Christian4:28
6."When We Are Together"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone3:30
7."Day After Day"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone4:37
8."Zero Zero"McElhone, Spiteri, CampbellMcElhone1:42
9."Saint"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone4:46
10."Girl"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone3:46
11."The Hush"McElhone, Spiteri, Rae, ChristianMcElhone, Rae, Christian4:53
12."The Day Before I Went Away"McElhone, SpiteriMcElhone6:28
13."Let Us Be Thankful" (hidden track)   
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."You'll Never Know" 
15."In Our Lifetime" (Return to tha Dub mix) 

Personnel

[edit]
Texas
Technical
  • Lee Swillingham, Stuart Spalding – art direction, design
  • Andy Dockerty, Davie Robertson, Derek Paterson, Fast Eddie, Graham Cochrane, Stevie Marr – crew
  • Eddie Campbell, Johnny Mac, Kenny Macdonald, Richard Hynd, Sharleen Spiteri – engineer
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
  • Luis Sanchis – photography
  • Johnny Mac – production

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[41] Platinum 50,000*
France (SNEP)[42] 2× Platinum 600,000*
Germany (BVMI)[43] Gold 250,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[44] Gold 25,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Sweden (GLF)[46] Gold 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[47] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] 3× Platinum 900,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[49] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "New Release Countdown" (PDF). Music Week. 17 April 1999. p. 27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Revisiting Texas' 'The Hush' (1999) | Retrospective Tribute". Albumism. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Texas: In Our Lifetime". Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 14. 3 April 1999. p. 31.
  4. ^ "Texas: Summer Son". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Reviews - For records released on November 15, 1999" (PDF). Music Week. 6 November 1999. p. 13.
  6. ^ "Texas - The Hush". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Texas - The Hush". lescharts.com. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Collins, Andrew (May 1999). "The Hush review". Q.
  9. ^ a b c Gill, Andy (6 May 1999). "Pop: The Big Noise: Texas: The Hush". independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  10. ^ "New Music Week 1999" (PDF). New Music Week. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Texas". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  12. ^ Allmusic review
  13. ^ Johnson, Beth (21 May 1999). "The Hush". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  14. ^ a b DiCrescenzo, Brent (18 May 1999). "Texas: The Hush". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Official Albums Charts on 16/5/1999". Official Charts. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 16/5/1999". Official Charts. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  17. ^ "THE HUSH". Official Charts. 22 May 1999. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  18. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 277.
  19. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Texas – The Hush" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Texas – The Hush" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – Texas – The Hush" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Texas – The Hush" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Texas: The Hush" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Lescharts.com – Texas – The Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Texas – The Hush" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Texas". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Charts.nz – Texas – The Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  28. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Texas – The Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  30. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Texas – The Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  31. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Texas – The Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  33. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  34. ^ "Rapports Annuels 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  35. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  36. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  37. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1999". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  38. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1999". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  39. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2000". Ultratop. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  40. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2000". Ultratop. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  41. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2000". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  42. ^ "Les Certifications depuis 1973: Albums". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 18 December 2019. (select "Texas" from drop-down list)
  43. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Texas; 'Hush')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  44. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  45. ^ Llewellyn, Howell (4 March 2000). "Brit Strongholds!". Billboard. p. 74 – via Internet Archive. The success of 'The Hush,' with double-platinum (200,000) sales
  46. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  47. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('The Hush')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  48. ^ "British album certifications – Texas – The Hush". British Phonographic Industry.
  49. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
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