Tag: Push Puppets

The Push Puppets video premiere and new music from The Genuine Fakes, Stay, The New Pornographers, Phantom Note, Strange Neighbors

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Illinois band Push Puppets made a good impression on their debut with superior melodic skills courtesy of singer/guitarist Erich Specht. Bandmates Greg Essig (drums), John William Lauler (bass), and Kyle Magnusson (keyboards) keep the sound crisp and bright. Here is a brand new video from that album; “Center of the Storm” which is akin to Crowded House in spots.

At the tail-end of 2022, The Genuine Fakes gives us a power pop taste of the new year with a new EP; listen to “Two Fine Lovers,” and “The Receiver” which are great songs. I’m going through David Bash’s top 100 list and found the band Stay is already hot on a new EP, covering The Move, and generally doing a Stonesy “Get Going.” The New Pornographers also is prepping a big return with the first track “Really Really Light.” Newbie from Portland, Oregon Phantom Note gives us a freebie with some jangle and melodic strum. Check out the opener “I Should Know By Now” and “Lonely As Hell,” these guys have real talent!  Another impressive newbie here is Strange Neighbors from New York City. Check out the cool riffs from “Skeleton Boy” to “Window Watching.” Not a bad start for the new year.

 





John Larson & The Silver Fields and Push Puppets

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John Larson And The Silver FieldsDowling Poole

John Larson And The Silver Fields “Mile A Minute”

John Larson and The Silver Fields lean into the power pop genre more here than any previous album. The opener “Jeannie” hits all the right notes with a strong hook for his “go-to girl” and it’s a catchy delight. “Too Stupid To Stop” sounds like the mantra for every musician with a passion for music, and it’s another winner. Larson’s influences are both traditional from the late ’70s pop through the ’90s alternative, “Because of a Girl” and “Can’t Miss Kid” have a timeless quality, with memorable choruses particularly the latter, with its keyboard-guitar combo akin to early Todd Rundgren.

Yet Larson makes efforts not to stick to a specific style or emulate the past too closely. It’s that quality that makes this collection so special. The authentic rock and roll spirit lives on in “Dig It Out” and the daydreaming quality of the slower tempo “Smartest Guy In The Room” is like the lyrical opposite of the Beatle’s “Fool On The Hill” with just as much sonic depth. Not a wasted note here and no filler. Mile a Minute is immediately accessible and it begs for repeat listens. Highly recommended and makes my top 10 album list for 2022. Don’t miss it.

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Push Puppets

Push Puppets “Allegory Grey”

Push Puppets are a fresh new band from Palatine, Illinois. The band is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Erich Specht and he definitely knows how to hook you with his great opener “There’s No One Else Like Lynette,” reminding me of The English Beat’s “Save It For Later” and just as catchy. Fans of The Finn Brothers and Crowded House will find a lot to love about Push Puppets; “Sometimes The Buds Never Flower,” and “The Bane of My Existence,” adds a similar bouncing tempo, jazzy touches, and smooth lyrical approach.

“Obvious” uses the soft verse-dramatic chorus to great effect, and then the band veers off into folk territory with “Perfect Picture.” While the first half of the album has the best material, the songwriting is never predictable and it often shows flashes of brilliance, like the chorus of “October Suprise.” This is a band you should keep your eye on… Highly Reccomended.

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