I thought this was going to be a stoner rock band. Can you blame me? With the big, psychedelic font layout before the bright, groovy orange on the back cover, this CD inlay was just screaming “you must get baked before listening” to me. Or was that an episode of That 70s Show in the background, or perhaps some cooking program? The world may never know. One thing it will know is that Pushing Red Buttons is not a stoner rock band. Rather, they are a band out-of-time.

Founder, Keyboardist and Vocalist Steve Herrig explains on the band’s website that the sound that seems more at home in the late 70s, early 80s could be attributed to not having played an instrument for 17 years when he decided to jump back into the ring to record their first release under the moniker Norman Fell titled Down (insert groan here). Whether or not Herrig’s musical hiatus is the reason is irrelevant, however, because despite the groovy 70’s pop/rock melodies, the rocking harmonies, the vibe that doesn’t seem possible in 2003, I’m here to tell you it is and it really, really works.

Pushing Red Buttons 2003 is actually, with the exception of Herrig and guitarist, vocalist, producer Rich Gaglia, a completely different band than Norman Fell cum PRB 2001-02. For their self-titled sophomore effort, Herrig asked Gaglia for the musical services of his NYC based prog-rock band Psych. Soon after, Rich Chapple and John DiGiulio would officially become fulltime members. Throw in guest appearances by singers Sam Hopkins, Jeff Lyons and Kasim Sulton, among others, and you have yourself the album that finally forced me to give a rating higher than 3 stars. That’s got to tell you something.

There’s so much here. You have your weird songs, like the 60’s sitcom inspired “It’s A Really Happy World,” your serious songs like the Sulton sung “Danny’s Private Life” and of course your good old turn-up-the-volume-and-rock songs like “What’s Good For You?” The best part is that since these different sounds and vibes work so well together, you’ll find yourself humming the retro-thick “Code of the Road” like a mantra for your own life just as much as the more modern “No Fun For No One”. Suddenly it really is hip to be square.

The oddest, and indeed greatest thing about Pushing Red Buttons is that the band never seems like it’s trying to be anything: they’re not trying to be weird, adventurous or retro, that’s just the way they are. That honesty radiates through their music, making it all the more enjoyable. Is it because they’re not on a potentially creativity sapping label, opting to instead move their merchandise on sites such as CDBaby and through word-of-mouth? Perhaps they’re really not a band out-of-time but rather, a band ahead of their time.

Having discovered this music now is a double-edged sword for me in my opinion. Do I want Pushing Red Buttons to get big? Of course. They deserve it. In fact, few bands I have heard in years, and certainly no new band I have heard this year, deserves it more. They’re both original and familiar – a rare quality. I can listen to them and feel as comfy as I would throwing on an old CD I always play when I’m in the mood for it but at the same time never feel like I’m listening to just another also-ran. I can groove to the rhythms, fall deep into the melodies and the guilty pleasure of rocking out in my living room when no one’s home. It feels cool to listen to this.

So why wouldn’t I be a little apprehensive about letting everyone in on the secret? It’s kind of like discovering an unmapped island; you’ve found it, it’s yours, no one else’s. But, Pushing Red Buttons will continue to grow with or without me. And as their star continues to rise, I just hope the freshness, originality and attitude that makes them who they are remains intact. Just think, if you get in on the ground floor now like I have, you too might one day be able to say you were “in the know” about this band before it was cool. Aren’t you just so hip?

Buy this album.

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Pushing Red Buttons

Pushing Red Buttons

Released: May 01, 2003
Origination Year: 2003
Time: 43:55
Tracks: 12
Produced by: Rich Gaglia
Style: Studio
Format: CD
Enhancement: None
Label: None
Website:
www.pushingredbuttons.com

What's Good for You?
Code of the Road
Pushing Red Buttons
Temporary Heaven
It's a Real Happy World
Danny's Private Life
Surprise
No Fun for No One
Things Are Coming
Squares
Voice of Reason
The Sum of Things *