Push!

Westside Daredevils & The Owen 4

Friday, February 23 @ Caledonia Lounge

originally published February 21, 2007

John McDonald

Push!

Searching for a band, Athens guitarist-vocalist Lauren Osborne last spring teamed up with Paul Nunn of the defunct band Astra. "I met Paul and we just started putting some of my songs together, recording them," she says. The two rounded out the band, recruiting Jeremy Sellers and Josiah McGaughey, also from Astra. "[We] talked about putting a band together and a timeline for what we wanted to do. We all agreed to meet at Nuçi's Space and have a practice, and it was like, 'Damn. Right on. Let's get this show on the road!'" Dubbed Push!, the group made its public debut nine months ago on a sweaty June night at the Caledonia Lounge.

Osborne sports a throaty, pouty vocal delivery that's on par with Chrissie Hynde or Gwen Stefani; the sound of her classic Gretsch woven through Nunn's more textured guitar approach tills the infrequently explored common ground between rock and roll, '80s pop and atmospheric shoegaze. McGaughey's snazzy drumming and Sellers' jauntily prominent bass lines supply Push! with a prominent rhythm section, no simple supporting backline here.

Push! has spent about two weeks, all told, over the past several months holed up with producer Daniel Rickard (Suny Lyons, The Low Lows, Tin Cup Prophette) recording an as-yet-untitled debut album at sound engineer Andy Baker's home studio. "We work really well with Daniel," says Osborne. "He's really patient and unpretentious, super great, sweet and talented. I'd say he shares our vision."

"Basically we want to use it to book shows out of town, get out of Athens, that kind of thing," she says, predicting a more formal release soon. "Spread the word and use it mostly as a promotional thing." With a passionate, urgent sound that counterposes the group's sedate stage presence, Push! is the type of band eager to showcase meticulous sonics. Expect to hear more from 'em in the coming months.

Chris Hassiotis