You can have two dozen bands attempt to “sound like The Beatles” which is all well and good, but when you have a group like The Red Button, you know these musicians take it further than the “average” Beatle fans. The Red Button’s main catch is that they know how to CONSTRUCT a song; they know how to write a hook; refine a melody and give it that something extra special. To be fair, their influences aren’t just the obvious; they’re a bit more sophisticated and deeper – and most importantly, these guys KNOW how to get it on-the-one with their harmonies and arrangements.

And this album isn’t just a new release, per se; it’s a brand-new 6 song E.P. to go along with the re-packaging of their first two hard-to-find albums, She’s About To Cross My Mind (2007) and As Far As Yesterday Goes (2011).  Now these two releases are re-mastered and here with these 6 new songs as a double CD, titled after Ron Nasty’s famous press conference remark during the “Rutles are bigger than God” flap (go look it up and watch – if you never heard it before, well…  I can’t help you.  Although Nasty did go on to say that God had never had a hit record…).

If they didn’t record a song beyond “Cruel Girl”, it would have set an automatic legend; such an instantly powerful and memorable track – catchy and simply perfect.  And that 12-string guitar solo – yes…  “I Could Get Used To You” shimmers with its mix of organ and guitars and 7th chords – psychedelic pop at its lovingly crafted finest; “Hopes Up” walks right out of late ’64/early ’65, circa Something New or Beatles ’65 (let’s be realistic here – I’m referencing the American albums I grew up with and that’s all you need to know) and “Can’t Stop Thinking About Her” is pop-balladeering 101 and absolute sweetness.

“Girl, Don’t” is another Rickenbacker-sculpted pop masterpiece; “Caught In The Middle” is a good old-fashioned rave-up with harmonica blasting the opening wide and and riffs and meaty beats and harmonies – most bands would give their collective left nut for a track as good and lively as this; “Picture” goes in a slightly different direction – almost Beach Boys like with its piano arrangement and light touch and “It’s No Secret” is in that same vein of mid-’60’s “sophisticated pop”.  “Can’t Let Candy Go” is another bubblegum-psychedelic pop piece that just leaps out of the speakers and grabs you by the throat and shakes you in a groovy way; “Tracy’s Party” gives The Smithereens a run for their money (!) and “Solitude Saturday” definitely has that Magical Mystery Tour vibe.

The bottom line is Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruckberg are two dynamic songwriting masters/talents, full stop.  One listen to The Red Button’s new Jem Records release, Now It’s All This!, will tell you all you need to know – all this musical goodness is courtesy of The Red Button.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Now It’s All This! will be released on Friday, October 20th, 2017

http://theredbutton.com/

About the Author

Rob Ross

Rob Ross has been, for good, bad or indifferent, involved in the music industry for over 30 years - first as guitarist/singer/songwriter with The Punch Line, then as freelance journalist, producer and manager to working for independent and major record labels. He resides in Staten Island, New York with his wife and cats; he works out a lot, reads voraciously, loves Big Star and his orange Gretsch. Doesn't that make him neat?

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