Despite its bio, Push Puppets is terribly predictable. Maybe I've listened to too much brooding power pop over the last 30 years. Definitely a possibility. Nonetheless, my ears are good enough to know where a band should go with its next chord change. Push Puppets makes the correct choice every time.

Push Puppets Allegory Gray (self-released)

And so I found myself waiting for a misstep, a journey down a dead-end hallway. The sort of thing that can be endearing, but also is usually the sign of a band not understanding the point. Anyway, Push Puppets set up their hooks perfectly, keep the feel of each song on a solid footing and deliver at just the right moment.

There is one reference in the bio that fits: Elvis Costello. Specifically, late-career Elvis, the one who crafts and crafts. The Push Puppets have a welcome off-handed performance style, though, which helps to sand down the edges of the sharp writing and arranging. Also, the production sound tamps down on the treble, leaving everything just a bit muffled. Perfect.

I've listened to tens of thousands of albums in my time. I'm a junkie for the unusual and the path not taken. But sometimes a band hits the sweet spot. Push Puppets aren't reinventing a single thing, but boy have they nailed this sound. A soaring wonder.

Jon Worley