Alan O. (fiftypercent) from NASHVILLE, TN Reviewed on 6/1/2009...
Just got to say that this is a great album and well worth taking a chance on, especially if you like Counting Crows, The Badlees and other thoughtful pop outfits.
CD Reviews
Hootie (if they were good)
P. J. Ludwig | WI | 02/01/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i'm normally not a fan of 4/4 rock like this. there is nothing edgy or out of the ordinary about push stars. frankly, they would fall in the same category as huey lewis or hootie & the blowfish... EXCEPT... they write such great songs. my take on music is that a great song is a great song, be it rock, jazz, rap, country, etc... lyrically, even, there is nothing really revealing or special... but those songs stick like a juju bee in your filling. they defy all my expectations of what a "typical" bar band can do... don't expect new revelations. expect what 1000's of bands have done before, just done better."
Incredible from start to glorious finish..
Morgan Phillips | Savannah, GA United States | 07/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bouncy rock and roll meets a seemingly endless supply of positive energy and soul in this album. Here are some guys who know how to rock. They need to get more popular so they can spread their music further into the mainstream, thus loosening mediocre music's grip on our world. Mediocre this album is not.
With tracks like "Outside of a Dream", "Lucky Sevens" and "Dream Came Down" you will have these lyrics memorized in record time. These guys are what the future of music needs to be: they're fun, and they put on one hell of a live show. I saw them open for Great Big Sea in Philadelphia this past spring, and they held their own marvelously. After a week with this album in your discman you'll be listening to it from start to finish again and again. Listen to the wailing, synthesized opening of "Lucky Sevens" and you get chills. The optimistic, cheerful and drunken lyrics of "Keg on my Coffin" can make anyone smile.
Insanely addictive and almost suspiciously talented, you need this album.
1- Claire- 4/5
2- Outside Of A Dream- 5/5
3- In The Galaxy- 4/5
4- Lucky Sevens- 5/5
5- Every Angel- 4/5
6- Freedom- 3/5
7- Paint The Town- 4/5
8- Hanging By A Thread- 5/5
9- At Sea- 4/5
10- Dream Came Down- 5/5 (#1 song of the album)
11- Keg On My Coffin- 5/5
12- Drifting Away- 4/5
"
Pushstars best work to date!
K. Larson | Canton, MA United States | 05/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you have never heard this band, buy this CD. It far and away Chris Trapper's best work to date. This album features the musicianship of one of the best singer songwriters you have never heard of. In this world of Hip Hop, Brittany, and Janet this album gives me hope that there are musicians out there that still write and play quality work. It is not that mass produced make a buck crap that has gripped the music industry lately."
The Best Band You've STILL never heard of....
K. Larson | 03/26/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"You've probably heard them - on a tv show here or there, in your favorite grocery store or restaurant. You're probably familiar with their songs without even knowing it - "Any Little Town", "Everything Shines" both play on today's version of "muzak". "Everything Shines" was featured in the movie and soundtrack "Something About Mary". They've released 4 (I think?) excellent cd's that are far superior to most of what you hear on the radio. The question is still - WHY aren't these guys a household word? They toured with Matchbox 20 because Rob Thomas heard their new cd and loved it, they're presently touring with Canadian Celtic rockers Great Big Sea who have covered their songs but somehow that BIG success has always eluded them, perhaps because they fought to keep some kind of quality control even when signed to a major label - and they succeeded."Paint the Town" hopefully will be the release that changes that. These guys deserve to be heard. They should be all over the radio, but we know what's playing on the radio these days. Anyway, to return to the subject at hand. When I first got the cd, I didn't think it was nearly as good as their others, particularly "Opening Time". I listened to it a few times and suddenly, it was in my head all the time, even when I WASN'T listening to it. Upon further listenings, it grew and grew on me. Chris Trapper is a songwriter's songwriter - his songs are so simple...at first. The more you listen, the more you realize they're not simple at all. The difference I think between this and their other releases is the mood of the music. It's more cohesive and fits together better. The songs seem to flow into one another easily. The cd is reflective, yet lighthearted (Keg on my Coffin is so cute that you don't really think about how meaningful it really is). It's difficult for me to pick out favorite songs - I like them all and they all grow on you, until you can't seem to get the cd out of your head OR your cd player. There IS still good music out there, and it's not hard to find if you look in the right places. This cd will be in your head long after the songs on the radio have faded away - I recommend it to anyone who is looking for good MUSIC. The Push Stars remain my favorite band, and I can't help but think they won't be such a secret much longer."
The Push Stars have done it again.
Joe Riekert | Milford, CT United States | 03/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once again, the Push Stars have managed to create an incredible piece of music. Chris Trapper is one of the best songwriters around today - there isn't a bad song on the CD. The first single, Outside Of A Dream, is a perfect example of Trappers' knack for great melodies and hooks that will catch you every time. Other songs like Every Angel, Hanging By A Thread, and Dream Came Down are similar in style. At the other end of the spectrum, songs like In The Galaxy, Freedom, and Keg On My Coffin, continue the acoustic sound that Chris Trapper had on his solo CD, Songs From The Drive-In (which is also a fantastic CD). Not to leave out the other guys, Dan Mcloughlin (who plays bass) adds amazing keyboards to the songs, and Ryan Macmillan on drums is way solid and powers the music along. Can you tell I like this band? They are my absolute favorite band - I can't think of anyone that even comes close. Paint The Town is worth every cent - just try and get the songs out of your head after you've listened to it a couple of times. I recommend it to anyone who likes music that is well written, well played, and just well.... awesome, I guess. Pick it up soon."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
Alan O. (fiftypercent) from NASHVILLE, TN 
