by Hannah Wriston
I’m halfway through Blushing’s newest album when I realize I’ve only felt like this once before.
I was waiting for an injection of propofol just before I had my tonsils removed. As the nurse sterilized my forearm, she referred to it as “Milk of Michael” casually mentioning the drug was the infamous factor in the King of Pop’s passing. Good to know. I took a deep breath and followed her instruction to count backwards from twenty, expecting to simply drift off. Instead my eyes widened and the softest crackle of electricity shot up from the base of my spine to cradle my head. I gasped, feeling as though my body was fading through the surgical table and into radiant non-existence.
This is the closest I can get to explaining the atmospheric nature of Blushing’s recently released five track album Weak. Comprised of a pair of married couples who turned a friendship into a musical partnership, Blushing are on track to develop a dedicated fanbase in the Austin scene.
The title and opening track “Weak” oozes from the first few seconds and harnesses the wave of early 90’s bands like The Verve and Mazzy Star. The combination of the echoed harmonies and psychedelic guitar riffs form a powerful combination.
Shoegaze has historically been lambasted for being a pedalboard geek’s wet dream. In amateur hands the specific sound is a wallflower, simply nice but unremarkable background music. Thankfully Blushing manages to be the Goldilocks of its modern nu-gaze moniker. The balance is just right.
This is especially true with “Hidden Places” which chorus hypnotically drones “Cause I can’t wake up/ I can’t wake up in your head/ If I can’t wake up/ I can wake up in your bed. ” By far this my favorite song of the album, Christina Carmona’s moody bass line ushering me back into my not so distant sad girl days. It’s as though Joy Division has been body snatched by Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays and forced to write a pop hook. The ambient tone allows Blushing’s dark melodies to appeal to Gen X’ers and Millennials alike.
There’s a breath of fresh air mid-album with the airy “Bliss” which is perfectly suited to summer stargazing turned make-out. There’s almost a soft surf quality to lead guitarist Noe Carmona’s playing on this particular song, though of course it’s been filtered through the signature reverse reverb and sustained delay. The delicate harmonies by Michelle Soto and Christina Carmona add to the essence of an inescapable love. There’s just enough longing and pain in this sweet song which feels eternal with the eventual fade out to their “ah’s”.
However, this album doesn’t allow for complacency as there’s a swift adjustment to the grungy “Bound.” The intro is closer to Soundgarden and initially doesn’t feel like it fits in with the other songs, but still is unmistakably their voice. Jake Soto’s animalistic beat wakes you up from the earlier sugar crash with his driving force, leaving you begging for more. It exudes sex and with lyrics like “Where do we go from here/ How is it so unclear/ Where do we see ourselves fighting our way around” it’s an anxious dance between wanting to leave a noxious relationship but struggling with pulling the trigger. The push and pull of a dangerous affair is summed up in the chorus with “Waiting to free myself /Finding that I am bound”.
I’m happily surprised by the variety expressed in this short album. Each song feels distinct enough to be a single, but work together as a larger narrative telling the story of a troubled relationship. The peaks and valleys feel authentic to having a deep connection but struggling with understanding where the journey will ultimately end. It’s uplifting to hear the last track title “Love You Twice,” however I’m left wondering if reconciliation is possible as the key question hangs in the air: “Can we start over?”
If it comes to obsessively replaying “Weak,”’ the answer is an unmistakable yes.
Blushing play Hotel Vegas next Friday, February 9th, with Ringo Deathstarr and more.