FDF Volume 3 Issue 360 - Hum "Downward is Heavenward"

Album – Downward is Heavenward

Artist - Hum
Key Players – Matt Talbott – guitar, lead vocals. Bryan St Pere – drums, backing vocals. Tim Lash – guitar, backing vocals. Jeff Dimpsey – bass, vocals.
Produced By – Hum and Mark Rubel

Release Date - January 27, 1998

Overview - This was the final studio album released from the Chicago band Hum. Coming off the heels of the bands biggest success with the track “Stars".  It wouldn't sell as well, or push the band as far as they'd expect and this would bring the curtain down on them as band.  Since that time this record has slowly grown a following and many consider it their best, most complete record.

As a side note I try to not repeat bands, but this is the third time we've checked in with Hum.
Electra 2000 here and  "You'd Prefer An Astronaut” here

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - When you start the record it doesn't take long for the big ring of the gutiars to hit you. “Isle of The Cheetah” has close to a 90 second intro before Talbot sings and once he does its that calm delivery that offsets the rumbling of everything else going on. Four records in, and the with the band solidified, they play with confidence and it shows. “Comin' Home” has the big start/stop riffs to keep you happy. “If You Are To Bloom” begins with an acoustic guitar before Talbot and Lash get on the pedals and hammer down. Its a pretty song, with some focus on the vocals being up towards the front. “Ms. Lazarus” also has acoustic guitars strew throughout. The big guns come out on "Green To Me" and any casual fan of the band would be pleased to hear what might have drawn them to the album out of curiosity. “Dreamboat” starts off one quiet side, but does launch pretty hard later. Tracks like “The Inuit Promise” and even more so “Apollo” show a bit of the softer side of the band with slower progressions and more of a mood being set than blasting down riffs. “The Scientists” closes it out on the heavy side. The bass drums and vocals are all right there for you. Nothing really out plays the other and the band ends on a high note.

Where are they now?  - Not much has changed, here is what I've submitted in the past.  As always, comment if you have additional news: 

The four guys have gone on to various bands and other side projects. They've all seemed to have started families and will occasionally play reunion type shows. The bands official site (see below) is updated, albeit it not too frequently with the goings on, including a re-press of “You'd Prefer” with some sad news in that the band had nothing to do with it and may see no money from its release.

Matt formed formed a bad Centaur and he also runs a recording studio. He is married and has 2 children.

Jeff resurrected a side-project from 1997,called National Skyline and from what I can find he is currently living and working in Texas.

Tim formed two groups, Glifted and Balisong. Glfited have released a cd and an ep is in the works. He works for the Unv of Illinois and is married.

Bryan seems to be out of music for the most part. He works in the Pharmaceutical industry and is married with children.

The band has done 2 "reunion" shows. In Aug of 2003 they did a one off at the Furnacefest In Aug of 2005 they played another reunion show headlining the first Rockfest Music Festival in Champaign. Rumors had it that Jeff moved back to Illinois and that the band "may" record again. They played a full set of music to over 3000 fans and that was that..for now??

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? -  Sure thing it is.  It still is shocking to me the guys haven't dusted it off and done a good old reunion tour, you know where they go out and play a record in full?  If you know Hum you dig em, not a lot to convince people on.  Grab any of their records, you'll like them all.

Links, find out more, follow em and buy!

Semi Official site

Buy it!

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