A lo-fi gem from Beastie Boys buddy. (Push The Button - Money Mark)

Name: GKDurkin

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Product:	Push The Button - Money Mark
Date:	14.04.08 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Warm and inventive, a real grower.

Disadvantages: Range of ideas may not appeal to all in one sitting.

After his well received 1995 debut, Money Mark, or Mark Ramos-Nishita returned in 1998 with Push the Button. His first, Marks Keyboard Repair, was an uncommonly lovely collection of demos and half finished tracks showing hi lo-fi pioneer roots. In the between releases gap the keyboard whizz, carpenter and Beastie Boys sidekick scrapped two entire albums worth of material. Fortunately his choosiness was to our gain given the quality of this LP, his debut-proper, if you will.

Push the button is a thumbs up for DIY production, he plays instruments and sings on all 18 tracks with minimal appearances from sidekicks, who include super session drummer Jim Keltner no less. The sound can be a little rough and ready, but this just adds to a warm and intimate feel and par for the course in the lo-fi world, the vocals are clear and crisp and the sound is definitely by design rather than accident.

Push the button is a colourful collection of skewed pop (Tomorrow Will Be Like Today), supple and subtle groves (Harmonics of Life, Dha Teen Ta) and jazzy shuffle (Bossa Nova) which, as you would expect from a Beasties alumni, are all carried off with both verve and inventiveness. Marks voice comes into its own far more than on previous works and he takes his cues from Elvis Costello in both sound and phrasing, especially on standout track Rock in the Rain. With so many ideas here repeated listening gets the most out of the album, which works equally well in the background or through your headphones.

Expect to pay around the £7 mark.

Summary: Well worth checking out.