Pushmonkey

I found this album in a used CD bin for 3.99 in 2001. Best 3.99 I've spent on an album. In fact, I wore the first CD out around 2007 or so and had to track down a duplicate (and I spent considerably more on the replacement given the scarcity of people who bought it at release). The problem with this album is that it cannot be classified cleanly in any genre. Is it alternative? yep, nu metal? yep. ska? a bit. rock and roll? definitely. This is an album that fits perfectly in the late 90's, and nowhere else in time. That's a problem for describing just what the hell this band is. Albums like that could be a mess, but in this case I think Pushmonkey hit on just about everything.

This album has fun riffs throughout, grounding the overall sound in the 90s alt metal scene. The absolutely fantastic production brings a slick, unique sound along with odd beeps and bops throughout (including the sound of a 90s modem), tons of reverb on the vocals, interesting harmonies, trumpets. Yeah, see, how does one try to explain what these guys were up to in this album? Perhaps that was part of the problem...tough to market a band with such an encompassing sound. Unfortunately I think the lack of success of this album ended up killing Pushmonkey's creativity. The subsequent albums in their catalog are a shell of Maize and this one.

Gotta listen to this one with an open mind and you will be rewarded with a severely overlooked gem of the 90s.