Aerosmith: Just Push Play

For a band that can boast a discography of over 25 successful albums and a fiercely devoted fan base, Aerosmith's most recent attempt, Just Push Play, falls far short of its usual high standard. Riddled with lackluster hard rock tunes, a couple of vaguely interesting power ballads, and some scattered moments of catchy pop, the CD lacks the originality of past masterpieces.

With the recent swell of critically and commercially triumphant albums from established bands like Steely Dan and the Dave Matthews Band, Just Push Play stands out as a sorry rehashing of classic but exhausted rock idioms mixed with modern pop trends. While no band should be criticized for experimenting with its sound, this album seems to be more of a transgression than a fresh leap forward.

Technically, the album, produced by lead singer Steven Tyler, sounds great. It is clear that every aspect of the CD has been meticulously crafted and every guitar part played perfectly. And after years of glass-shattering and vocal-chord-shredding screaming, Tyler's voice is still as confident and raw as ever. But the lines are emptier.

There are some fleeting good moments on the album. The pining ballad "Luv Lies" is likely to become a hit at junior high school dances nationwide. "Under My Skin," meanwhile, has a touch of the intensity found in past anthems like "Livin' on the Edge," but offers nothing new. The screamed melody on the title track is the heavy-metal bastard child of Shaggy's "Mr. Boombastic" and the Barenaked Ladies' "One Week" with a chorus that is less than inspiring: "Just push play/Fuckin' A!" With a bonus track version of "Beyond Beautiful" that sounds like a demo for a bad garage band and a hit single "Jaded" that is catchy but ultimately uninteresting, the truly good moments on this CD are more of an exception than a rule.

Perhaps Columbia Records told Aerosmith to make an album that would broaden its fanbase; the disc certainly has a more modern, commercial touch. But in so doing it has lost the distinctive, catchy melodies and rock grooves that have distinguished it as one of America's great, enduring hard rock groups.

It can't be easy trying to make an album that pleases fans with expectations as big as Tyler's mouth—but dull is dull. In retrospect, this CD's title may end up looking more like a desperate plea than a triumphant refrain. (Columbia)

—Talley Lambert

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