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Our Review

Seattle band Lushy is all about lounge-pop music, and the group is fizzy highball entertainment. Lushy essentially operates as a trio (Annabella Kirby on vocals & clarinet; Andy Sodt on sax, keyboards & more; Matt Nims on guitar/bass) with supporting players, and the fun recipe results in unadulterated techno/Latin pop refreshment. Too cool!

My major complaint is that this album is W-A-Y too short. 27 minutes? Are you kidding me? I could have danced all night, if you get my drift. Next time, please fill my plate with more holiday deliciousness.

Lushy layers on lots of creative originals here. My hands-down favorite has to be the title track; Snowflake Surprise had me in its clutches after only a bar or two. The melody is seriously addictive, and the lyrics are downright fun: "It's no surprise--I have snowflakes in my eyes over YOU!" Of course, Kirby throws in the occasional "Doo-dee-doo!" just to liven the party. It's a great song, the sort that will stay with me for days (maybe weeks!).

What a fascinating mix! I admire Lushy's intensely original approach; I know I would enjoy seeing the group live. The musicianship is solid, and the tracks present tipsy cocktail lounge pleasures, bordering on bizarre in spots (Bottles, Bugles, Bright Shiny Bells?). And the closing Christmas Waltz almost seems caught in slow-motion under water. Intriguing!

Don't be stuck in a rut. Who needs another boring Christmas release? Instead, reach out for something new and different! If you enjoy a techno-pop adventure, then let Lushy be your guide! The Snowflake Surpise can be yours!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

Lushy:
Andy Sodt
Annabella Kirby
Matt Nims

Musicians playing on this recording:
Garth Brandenburg
Brad Chodos-Irvine
Lynval Golding
Johnny Horn
Jeff McGrath
Lunarre Omura
Felix Lee


From the Website:

It's Cal Tjader meets Stereolab meets Brazil 66 in a bar in Berlin. Drink up people-it's LUSHY! Bossa beat flavored alterna-pop that goes down nice and easy. Lounge-y and danceable with hints of exotica and a touch of electronica...nutty and hip...intriguing and soothing-must see live!

Lushy concocts a refreshing pop style that blends original samples and Bossa beats with elements of vintage-Latin jazz, exotica, surf, new wave, sixties pop and French pop to create their own distinctive intercontinental sound. Most importantly, they have established a solid reputation for originality far beyond their roots in the lounge and exotica scene. What started as a lighthearted recording session among friends has now turned into a lasting and successful project. In the basement tiki den, with fully stocked cocktail bar, that is their studio, Lushy was formed and began compiling an extensive catalog of original songs. With an internationally distributed CD on Dionysus Records and scores of successful gigs from Vancouver BC to Los Angeles, Lushy has steadily risen through the ranks of Seattle�s musical landscape. Led by the powerful and dynamic vocalist Annabella Kirby, musical mastermind Andy Sodt, and guitar wizzard Matt Nims, Lushy holds sway over every stage they inhabit. If you like the Brazilian Girls, B-52's, Portishead, Os Mutantes, Pink Martini, Astrud Gilberto and Martin Denny you'll love Lushy! No matter what the comparison, Lushy is simply extraordinary.

Lushy

Snowflake Surprise

Artist link

Track List