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Exposé magazine review of Pushing Red Buttons
December 2003
ISSUE 28
PUSHING RED BUTTONS - “PUSHING RED BUTTONS”
Reviewed by Jeff Melton
Kasim Sulton’s endeavors outside of Utopia and as Todd Rundgren’s longtime sideman have never been visible to the marketplace. Enter Pushing Red Buttons, a New York group that is primarily the song work of keyboardist Steve Herrig. Since 2001 after two years of confusion an redirects, guitarist Rich Gaglia (from Psych) and eventually Sulton agreed to provide guest vocals for a few tracks on the twelve song CD. Overall the niche for the band is that of power-pop-rock vein like middle period Utopia (Oblivion and POV). Since the project has different combinations of players it’s not clear where the band’s identity is. Jeff Lyons sings four of the tracks but wasn’t retained as the band’s lead vocalist. But that doesn’t keep them from having as upbeat time doing their compositions. “Temporary Heaven” is one of the few opportunities for Gaglia to layout some frantic fret work. Sulton’s lead vocal graces the ballad “Danny’s Private Life” as well as a bouncy ode to post 9/11 national policies, “Surprise.” “Things are Coming” reminds me of a few of Queen’s old ’70’s catalogue with an odd little riff to mess up the quarter time tempo. “Voice of Reason” is the big time power love ballad that closes out the album on an upswing. Bonus track “The Sum of Things” sung by Lyons recalls Jackson Browne’s best ’80’s work. In summary, the group works terrain unsupported by current trends with creditable composure.
Many thanks to Steve Herrig (Pushing Red Buttons) for forwarding this review from a print only prog-rock magazine.
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