The Chemical Brothers

It becomes more and more tempting with each passing album to dismiss The Chemical Brothers as over, irrelevant, past their prime, behind the times, pick your favorite dismissive cliche. But somehow, the British duo of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, like their fellow "big beat" pioneer Fatboy Slim, just refuses to go away. While Push the Button, their fifth studio album, may not have much to offer in the way of new ideas, it's a remarkably high-energy set of electronic dance anthems for an act that's been around long enough to have a greatest hits album and a small army of imitators.

As usual, the Brothers are at their best when they scrap lyrics and traditional songwriting and concentrate on punishing club tracks like "The Big Jump" and "Believe," the latter of which is easily the best thing they've produced since "It Began in Afrika" off 2002's return-to-form Come With Us. When they trot out the melodies and guest vocalists, they're less effective -- witness the annoying lead single "Galvanize," with its knee-jerk political rap (courtesy of Q-Tip) and tired Bollywood vibe. The Charlatans UK's Tim Burgess provides the sole vocal highlight, invigorating the strobelight funk of "The Boxer" with just the right note of strangled urgency.

Flaunting their growing versatility as producer/songwriters, Rowlands and Simons end Push the Button with a pair of great change-ups. "Marvo Ging" is a psychedelic boogie led by a mutated slide guitar, while "Surface to Air" provides one of the duo's prettiest post-rave comedowns. The Chemical Brothers' days of blowing people's minds may be over, but they remain masters at moving the crowd. - Andy Hermann

When the big beat boom gradually subsided, the Chemical Brothers initially sought refuge within a carefully crafted version of house music both epic and psychedelic. Still, the duo are fusion fans at heart, and their fifth studio album, Push the Button, finds them easing back to their true love -- pulverizing stylistic boundaries while they seek out clever hooks to hang their production caps on. The first half of the record is heavy on collaboration, beginning with the clear highlight, "Galvanize," which features guest Q-Tip riding a delicious mid-tempo groove and the brothers teasing out an ingenious Middle Eastern string sample over the course of several breakdowns and over six minutes. "The Boxer" has ChemBros veteran Tim Burgess of the Charlatans UK coming on like an extroverted Steve Miller, while the next track, "Believe," features Britpop newcomer Kele Okereke (of Bloc Party) agonizing over an energized electroshock production composed of equal parts Prince and Chicago acid house. It's clear the Chemical Brothers are still searching restlessly for new sounds and new fusions; only they could alternate a polemical hip-hop track -- "Left Right," a guest spot for Anwar Superstar, who, incidentally, may be the younger brother of Mos Def, but sounds like he's been living in Jay-Z's head for a few years -- with a feature for an indie band, the Magic Numbers ("Close Your Eyes"). Obviously, it's far more refreshing to explore new territory rather than merely go back over old ground; while "Come Inside" suffers by aping their 1997 approach, the subsequent track, "The Big Jump," finds the pair energized with a fresh gloss on their patented sound (although it is easy to notice how the skronky guitars in the background are clearly a post-electroclash development). While there aren't as many heart-stopping productions as on 2002's unjustly neglected Come With Us, Push the Button proves the Chemical Brothers have retained the innate curiosity necessary to keep them blazing trails for years to come. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide