Push Puppets is an indie pop / rock ensemble from Palatine, Illinois that creates songs with earworm melodies and shiny production that belie the often bittersweet sentiments in the songwriting of singer/songwriter/guitarist Erich Specht.
Specht’s vocal and songwriting style has been compared to Elvis Costello or Wilco. His layered guitars and memorable guitar solos are reminiscent of Elliot Easton of The Cars or Brian May of Queen. Together with a rhythm section consisting of drummer Greg Essig, bassist John William Lauler, and keyboardist Kyle Magnusson, Push Puppets creates inventive pop/rock that takes the listener to unexpected places.
In addition to his bread-and-butter topics of dysfunctional relationships and hopeless pining, Erich also writes about such subjects as imminent doom, a training session at a Russian troll farm, convincing a co-conspirator to take the fall, and Karma blowing up his house and running him off the road.
The new album titled “Allegory Grey” will be released on Friday, September 30th, 2022. The album takes the listener through 10 well-crafted songs that range from bombastic power pop and Byrds influenced jangle pop to blues-tinged alternative rock, a mix that is somehow cohesive and held together by Specht’s strong songwriting.
The first single is titled “Sometimes the Buds Never Flower” and tells of a troubled relationship thorough a story about flowering trees. This sweet pop gem hints at 60’s psychedelia as well as the songcraft of XTC, Matthew Sweet or Fastball.
Other tracks of note include “The Bane of My Existence” – a swing rocker about the one that got away, “There’s No One Else Like Lynette” – an adrenaline-fueled song about lost love, “Obvious” – a bluesy alt-rocker that concludes with an epic chorus, and “October Surprise” – a rock anthem about disinformation.
