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As any music lover with a pulse is aware, the face of music constantly changes. From the free and easy grooves of the 70s, to the synthesized pop of the 80s, to the virtual smorgasbord the 90s became, whatever happened to be popular at any given time in the last 30 years of music more than likely couldn't be found on radio two or three years later. The face

of music is in such transition that the pinnacle is no longer being on top with a No. 1 song, or a best-selling CD, but staying there once you arrive.

Only a few acts have been able to stay on top of the business for that entire period, and the hottest of them right now has to be Aerosmith. They received the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards on January 8, becoming only the fifth act to receive that award in AMA's 28-year history. They performed at the Halftime Show of Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, appearing on stage with some of today's hottest performers (many of whom weren't even alive when Aerosmith hit the music scene). Then on March 19, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And there's still another nine months to go in this year.

Riding on the crest of their latest wave of success, Aerosmith has also released its first studio album in four years, entitled "Just Push Play." In many ways, it's a classic Aerosmith CD, but in other ways it's not. Aerosmith has the rare ability to change with the times and trends but still stay true to their music, and it's easy to see on this CD.

"Just Push Play" has everything that Aerosmith has become famous for, which is pretty much everything. It has plenty of radio-friendly tracks, such as the current single, "Jaded," and "Sunshine," which could be released as a single just in time for summer. "Fly Away From Here" is a ballad with the potential to make an impact similar to "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing." Another radio-style track, "Outta Your Mind" illustrates Aerosmith's timeless quality, revitalizing the Limp Bizkit-esque metal rap-rock style (which Aerosmith actually helped originate) and mixing it with the legitimate hard rock style also made famous by

Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler (photo courtesy Rolling Stone Magazine)

Aerosmith themselves. And, if you're looking for the next in the long line of catchy, meaningless tunes, the title track is just that.

When you're dealing with a band like Aerosmith, describing what the music is about is almost impossible. Aerosmith is one of those bands that know how to mix style with substance. They know how to write good songs, how to sing them, and how to perform them live. The band is so musically brilliant that they could actually get away with singing some of the popular boy band songs of today (too bad those that actually sing them can't.)

The bottom line is this: To hell with analyzing the music. Go to the store, by the CD, and do what it says on the front cover: Just Push Play.

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