| Chemical Brothers |
| Push the Button |
| Having survived the great techno hype of the mid-1990s and a memorable diss of the genre by Eminem, The Chemical Brothers keep producing interesting albums that balance a love for the dance floor anthem with some of the most melodic and sweet songs ever to emanate from a turntable setup.
Though better known for their collaborations with Oasis’ Noel Gallagher (“Setting Sun” and “Let Forever Be”) and “Block Rockin’ Beats,” a song with Ivan Drago-like punching power, the Chemical Brothers’ best tracks view the world through yellow-tinted glasses and error on the side of psychedelia, with an edge that separates it from Moby’s similar offerings. On their latest album, Push the Button, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons create a grand, sweeping soundscape with songs like “Close Your Eyes.” Guest vocalists The Magic Numbers and a simple piano-xylophone melody The Postal Service would go postal for create the type of optimism reserved for the end of romantic comedy films. On their last few albums, The Chemical Brothers have stuffed these types of songs toward the end of the album, most successfully on the band’s best album, 1999’s Surrender, and the Hope Sandoval special “Asleep From Day.” The band/record label usually offers a more danceable track as the single, and this album offers such choices as the hip-hop-in-Bombay “Galvanize,” featuring vocals by rapper Q-Tip. Another dalliance in hip-hop isn’t as successful, as “Right Left” brings to mind awful reminders of Master P’s No Limit Soldiers. For true music fans, the Chemical Brothers’ studio wizardry and an amazing list of guest vocalists always manages to produce at least one or two gems. No matter the year, Push the Button continues that streak. |
| Originally published in Take ONE, as written by Hank Brockett |