The Push Stars
Paint The Town (2004)

Review by: Michael Walls
Date: 5/1/04

During the mid 90s, I found myself alone on a Del Amitri kick. I was a late-comer on the Del Amitri bandwagon, as the Scottish band had been together for nearly a decade with several albums out before I discovered their 1995 release Twisted. But I told everyone about Del Amitri and played Twisted for several years. But I guess my word-of-mouth promotional campaign failed to elevate them to superstardom. My only condolence was reading a review somewhere calling Del Amitri “the greatest alternative band no one’s ever heard of.”

The reason I bring this up is because I may have found the millennium’s version of Del Amitri in a popular Boston bar band known as The Push Stars.

The Push Stars latest release, Paint The Town, is their 5th album in the 8 years they’ve been playing together. Which means that once again I’m late to the party and the bandwagon has already started moving without me. But this time I’ve got the Internet and a website to assist me in my enthusiasm – so perhaps The Push Stars will have better luck then my last pet project.

Del Amitri grabbed most of their fans with their infectious pop melodies and likable, clever lyrics – and this would be nearly the same description of The Push Stars. With songs like “Claire,” “Lucky Sevens” and “Paint The Town,” it’s impossible to dislike the music. This is the stuff of soundtracks, the song playing in the bar during that magically relationship moment, the tune that you and your friends heard while having the time of your life. Songs that could easily be burned into your memories forever.

Fans of The Wallflowers, Better Than Ezra and Counting Crows will have no trouble latching onto The Push Stars. At times, singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Trapper does an Adam Duritz impersonation, with softer, throatier vocals – like on “Hanging by a Tread,” while the ballet-like music adds to the Counting Crows similarity.

“Dream Came Down” with its twangy guitar sound, and “Freedom” a light acoustic folk guitar tune, gives a Wallflowers feel. But then the bouncy, acoustic “Keg on my Coffin” with its catchy lyrics reminds me of something Better Than Ezra would write. The last track “Drifting Away” is a finger-snapping, lounge tune than is reminiscent of The Replacements “Nightclub Jitters.”

12 tracks of diversified sounds, but with a constant thread of “pop” running through all, makes for a very enjoyable CD.

So after several years on a major label, some soundtrack appearances, including “Something About Mary,” followed by a self-released album, The Push Stars try a fresh start with an independent label. 33rd Street Records hopes to help The Push Stars regain their big label momentum, without compromising their Boston “bar band” roots. And now with me on the bandwagon, how can they fail?