Hey Sicko is the new album from acclaimed artist and actress Noush Skaugen (Dead Pixels), and her first since 2008’s Lost And Found, which saw Noush receiving numerous awards, including the 2009 Babelgum Mobile Video Award for Adeline. A powerful album, filled with emotional peaks and troughs, Hey Sicko benefits from the expertise of Michael Beinhorn behind the desk. Beinhorn, who successfully juxtaposed melody and might with the likes of Soundgarden (Superunknown) and Hole (Celebrity Skin), does a fantastic job of bringing Noush’s songs to life and the resultant album is an addictive listen to which you’ll want to return time and again.
Opening with Automatic, Hey Sicko taps into a similar vein of distorted yet melodic rock to The Manic Street Preachers, The Cranberries and early Radiohead. Instantly noticeable is Noush’s smoky voice, which perfectly fits the subtly alternative musical backdrop, and the track makes for a suitably raucous introduction to Noush’s world in 2020. Slowing the pace, Rebels and Foes is a lovely, bluesy track that highlights the myriad influences that Noush keeps close to her heart, although a tougher edge always sits just beneath the surface, making the listener wary of cutting too deep – a blistering solo helping to affirm this notion. An album highlight, thanks to its addictive melody, Buried In Vegas is a dark tale of innocence lost in a vibrant city, delivered with Celebrity Skin bite and analogue warmth. In contrast, the title track adopts the Fleetwood Mac trick of pairing a heart-rending situation with a mellifluous pop melody. Insidious in its ability to work its way under the skin, the song perfectly mirrors the smooth-talking sicko of the title and is thus far more effective than a more straightforward burst of anger. However, as has been noted, anger is an energy, and Run Baby Run is a full-blooded belter with a driving rhythm that grabs the listener and holds them to the end. Better still is Black And Gold, which sees Noush once again tapping into the gritty indie-rock of the Manics, displaying a similar gift for huge choruses in the process.
Kicking off her shoes and kicking off the second half, Noush positively launches into the bouncy If The Devil, which has a punky, folky vibe that is entirely irresistible. The upbeat mood does not last however, and the shuffling Everything’s OK is a bluesy ballad that sees the lights turned down low over a backdrop that is one part John Barry, one part Garbage (wow – that sentence could surely come across wrong if misread!) You can’t keep a good artist down for long, and the scything Bitter Lace And Leather is a tough, bluesy stomp. It gives way to the superficially restrained Tonite, a track that quivers with barely repressed emotion and excitement. A rather lighter touch is deployed with Only The Good Die Young, which recalls, of all things, the late, lamented Strangelove with its deft juxtaposition of acoustic and electric guitars, an insistent rhythm and strong melody. The album reaches its end with Starts When It’s Over, a track that taps into the grander elements of Suede’s oeuvre, before exploding into the most gorgeous of choruses, awash with scattered synth and crunchy, splenetic chords. It’s an immensely satisfying conclusion to a frequently brilliant record.
Hey Sicko consistently surprises thanks to Noush’s wide array of influences. Nominally, the album sits at the lighter end of the alternative rock category, in much the same way as Hole’s brutally underrated Celebrity Skin does, occasionally raging, but often preferring to explore more contemplative avenues. Along the way, there’s anthemic rock (Black And Gold), smoky blues (Rebels and Foes), punky digressions (If The Devil) and skyscraping ballads (Starts When Its Over), all tied together with Michael Beinhorn’s exquisite production. An emotionally powerful, mature and varied album, Hey Sicko is a remarkable statement from an artist who, one suspects, is just getting started. 9/10
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