Another great band, Nushu gives us the dreamy harmonies on “Precious To Me.” POWER POP REVIEW
NUSHU’s Hula is an intoxicating amalgamation of girl-group sweetness and power poppin’ melodicism, sung and played (for the most part) by two very talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists, Lisa Mychols and Hillary Burton. If Lisa’s name sounds familiar, she was formerly the frontwoman for the late, great Masticators, who helped light up the Los Angeles indie-pop scene from 1998-2001. NUSHU’s sound is less frantic and a bit more polished than the Masticators’, but Hula still brings the guitars out in full force, particularly on tracks such as the charming, ’60s-influenced “Leave Me Behind” (which sounds not unlike the Shangri-La’s mixing it up with Joan Jett), the speedy, ridiculously catchy gem ”Here’s to Feeling Free” (which sounds not unlike the G0-Go’s playing aural footsie with the Undertones) and the hit single in waiting “Everything & More” (which just sounds great).
All 13 tracks here leave indelible marks, and are impeccably played (listen for Burton’s Keith Moon-inspired drum fills on “Synthia”) and sung (Burton and Mychols both manage to vocalize sweetly without sounding cloying on their leads and harmonies). And lest you think that the dynamic duo is all about the rock, give a listen to the smoothly atmospheric slow one, “Weary Eyes” (co-written by Mychols and longtime cohort Steve Kobashigawa) and the gorgeous, keyboard-led “Something in Between,” which was co-written by Hula’s producer, Steve Refling. With the enticing Hula, NUSHU provides the perfect summer soundtrack for power pop boys and girls everywhere. JOHN M. BORACK - GOLDMINE MAGAZINE.COM http://www.goldminemag.com/blogs/cd-review-nushu-hula
Right before I popped this in the player I was listening—as I often do—to the great girl group ‘60s box, Girl Group Sounds. Funny, this L.A. female duo sound like their space age sisters, updated by loud, modern, punky power-pop! Lisa Mychols and Hillary Burton write, sing, and play nearly the whole album, drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, and blasting harmonies, and sound like they’re having a riot, even without seeing their smiling faces in cheery flower dresses on the cover. This is what The Donnas should have sounded like; Nushu remind strongly of a chunkier Wednesday Week or The Bangles when they were the less slick The Bangs, plus bits of The Last, Nerves, The Beat, Dickies, Muffs, and other great L.A. power-pop/rocking bands that kept the girl group/Beatles pop magic coming with biting guitars… and adult girl lovelife songs. Ahh! (nushumusic.com) JACK RABID - The Big Takeover (#66, May 2010)
Hula:: Nushu
ROCK BEAT INTERNATIONAL (summer 2011 edition)
By Geoff Cabin
Hula is the second album by Nushu, a duo that consists of singers, songwriters, and multiinstrumentalists Hillary Burton and Lisa Mychols. In spite of the impression
given by the album title and artwork, Nushu haven't taken up Hawaiian music. Rather, the album is filled with catchy, guitardriven pop rock that is reminiscent of the Go-Go's and the Bangles. Whether writing separately or together, Mychols and Burton consistently come up with strong material. Between them, they also play nearly all of the instruments on the album. The album kicks off with the one-two punch of "Leave Me Behind" and "Here's to Feeling Free,~ both of which are classic examples of guitar POP. combining catchy pop tunes with an aggressive guitar attack. •Something in Between• is a gorgeous ballad with a slow-burning groove. "Like the Sun" features a catchy melody set to a jaunty rhythm and embellished by Beach Boys-style vocal harmonies. On "Everything and More" Nushu set a catchy pop tune to a punkish guitar sound. "Synthia" is another catchy rocker, given a bit of a retro eighties feeling by a synthesizer. All in all, Hula is an outstanding effort from Nushu.
MUSIC REVIEWS : Hula - NUSHU
Dan Pavelich, Kenosha News
Boy, if you're looking for a really swell summer soundtrack, that sounds great in the car, this is it. The girls from NUSHU return with their sophomore effort, which is a sensational collection of power pop perfection. The slinky shuffle 'Leave me behind' starts things off, sounding much like an undiscovered Annette Funicello track, only a bit more aggressive. "So Long Myabe" and "Your Girl" continue the retro yet modern vibe and will surely cause many beach goers to slice some sand this summer. Hillary Burton and Lisa Mychols, who make up NUSHU, have voices that naturally blend well together. So much so, in fact, that at times it can be difficult to discern who's singing which part. While they individually handle a number of instruments capably, both are exceptional drummers. I guarantee this one will be on my list of favs this year. "Hula" is one of those rare albums where all elements seem to be working in real harmony. Very well done.
