Push-button chemistry

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In Push The Button, their layered, percussively dominant style is mixed with a few new tricks. As with previous albums, you are immediately introduced to a rather lengthy (6 minute) track, beginning with distorted strings arranged around a basic beat. This extends into a more complex, driving rhythm that carries into a smattering of vocals, mainly by hip-hop artist Q-Tip, throughout the rest of the track.
Hip-hop lyrics, though a relatively new addition, appear on many of the Chemicals tracks. They work well in the controversial Left Right. Instead of completing an entire anti-Bush album like Green Day or NOFX, the Chemicals have opted to slip in just one track: Left Right. The lyrics ring with soldiers marching and Saddam/Bush comparisons, but the track remains cleverly structured and easy on the ears, the hip-hop mixing well with the bold, intense back-beat.
 
Occasionally tracks such as Surface to Air and Marvo Ging left me yawning, too spaced-out and too damn long! These tracks were made up for with The Big Jump and The Boxer. Roar vocal lines and simple "bending" sounds made otherwise plain tracks, fun. Shake Bounce Break reminded me of Spain, a Destiny's Child film clip, and a NERD track all rolled into one. These three tracks feature unique percussive lines, adding to their allure.
Overall, Push the Button is yet another successful album from the Chemicals. It did take me three listens of each track to come to that conclusion, but underlying it is the traditional Chemical sound: developed layers of sound meets roar vocal lines and an awesome back-beat.

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Gargle blast from the past

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In the 252 words of the article, the sole fact Daniel Ziffer makes known to us about the music is that the crowds loved it.

And, to rephrase the rephrasal: Is there any point at all in criticising a piece that is no more (not "little more" or "scarcely more" but the immoderate "no more") than an editor-approved in-house advert and space filler? No more point than in reading it.

At least the crowds loved it.

The original review can be read here.

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