Richard Rossi of PowerPopNews.com shared this review of “Tethered Together”:
Ornate production sensibilities carry throughout the album. And while that certainly works, these tracks resonate because underneath it all, the songs are so good.
Black Noise magazine sat down with Erich Specht of Push Puppets to discuss the new album and more.
Amsterdam music publication Rock at Night reviews the new album “Tethered Together”.
The band, Erich Specht (lead vocals, guitar), Steve Frisbie (backup vocals, guitar) Kyle Magnusson Essig (keyboards), John William Lauler (bass) and Greg Essig (drums), don’t shy from going for the right melody at any point throughout the album or letting their guitars ring, but at the same time add arrangement variations like a string quartet or a horn section here and there to make things as interesting as possible.
The only ‘problem’ they might have here is that out of the ten tracks here they potentially have ten possible singles, so they just might have some hard choices to make.
Music publication I Don’t Hear a Single reviews the new album “Tethered Together”.
The strength here is in the songs and the arrangements. Beautifully sung, there is too much in these songs to just wash over you. Great Pop Rock is not easy to find. You will find it here.
The latest video from “Push Puppets” for the new song “Hearts Aren’t Souvenirs” is previewing now on Post-Punk.com. They provide a nice track-by-track rundown of what you can expect from the album that releases on May 16th.
Push Puppets’ fourth outing, Tethered Together, greets the listener like a house of mirrors: every cut reflecting some fresh pang of attachment, departure, or sudden self-revelation. Erich Specht’s lyrics slip neatly into their melodies, concise yet bracing, as though they have always belonged there. His verses expose bruises and bright spots alike, turning vulnerability into fuel while side-stepping self-pity.
Sound Read Six has shared this review of “Similar”:
Sitting snuggly in the cerebral space between reflective rumination and communal upbeat atmosphere, the Chicago-based Push Puppets are bracing the world for their latest album release. They release albums to be enjoyed, like any decent AOR band, yet always have a few key moments worth elevating to the mainwaves. Tethered Together, featuring a shark and a little yellow fish, is making its splash on Friday 16th with Similar showing up like a fin breaking the surface. Known for making Deja Vu style sounds, that you feel you already know but can tell it’s totally original, the skill is in knowing the theory and knowing how to use it. What is Similar going to be Similar to? Everything and nothing, would be my guess. Let’s find out.
The vibrant video for “Similar” can be seen in several countries on the syndicated Euro Indie Music Weekly Magazine television program!
Arts publication Dancing About Architecture has shared this review of “Similar”:
The ‘Tethered Together’ album is graced with impeccable songwriting that shines with lush harmonies, angular guitars, dramatic keyboards and strings backed by a rhythm section that smokes. Erich Specht muses on relationships and loss, as well as the weight and joy of life, in a manner that is poetic and seems effortless, his lyrics fitting to the melody like pieces of a puzzle. Wearing his vulnerabilities like a badge of honor, this music takes us on a journey to unexpected places.
The Big Takeover has shared this review of “Similar”:
What the Chicago quintet has always done so well, and what they certainly do here, is make music that echoes those heady days of the late 20th century, where rock energy and pop infectiousness were deftly woven together to create a vibrant and vital indie scene.
But that was then, and this is now, and now is about taking the spirit of those times,, that era’s sonic vibe, and bringing it brilliantly up to date. This they do by embracing those great rock riffs and indie-pop infectiousness, pulling off a great balancing act of drive and deftness, and, in turn, blending that familiarity with a freshness which comes from beguiling electronica and cool keyboard runs.
Arts publication Skylight Magazine has published this thoughtful review of “Similar”:
Lyrically, “Similar” is philosophical without being didactic, exploring upon issues of personality, and vision. Lines like “Under the skin and bone / Under a microscope / We’re similar” appear almost scientific at first, but are given with soul thanks to the presentation and structuring of the arrangement. The vocal performance is confident but not “cold,” reflecting the song’s balance of consideration and beauty. Push Puppets do an act of balance that is familiar and modern—arena-sized in sound, but cozy in heart.