The Hush Sound

Marked by highly imaginative arrangements that turn on singer Greta Saltpeter's classically-bent piano playing, the Hush Sound's second record further distinguishes itself with Saltpeter's Lauro Nyro-echoing vocal style. Other interesting artists Saltpeter deserves to be mentioned with include Fiona Apple (those arrangements) and Norah Jones (the girl can sing). The trippy, Cowboy Junkies-gone-music-nerd stylings of "Hurricane" and the exuberantly depressed "As You Cry" (sung by guitarist Bob Morris) make it hard to not place high hopes on later releases from the Chicago quartet.