CATCH WITHOUT ARMS

I am a recent-comer to the world of dredg. I brought the album El Cielo after hearing a track on last.fm, and I was blown away. I listened to that album over and over until my ears bled, and I still couldn't get enough. As a result of this musical epiphany, 15 extra pounds were soon spent on ordering both Leitmotif and Catch Without Arms.

Due to the rubbishness of the British Postal System, I recieved Leitmotif long before Catch Without Arms, and again I was treated to an onslaught of glorious sound - my only disappointment being that it didn't last nearly long enough.

An then, yesterday, I recieved Catch Without Arms - as you can imagine, after my reaction to the first two CD's, I was pretty blinking excited. And so I geared up the stereo, poured a G&T and settled down for another orgasmic musical experience.

How disappointed was I.

My heart beat with rabid intensity as the first line of 'Ode to the Sun' kicked in. I was expecting a prog-o-rific, symphonious and exquist journey through the minds of this four piece genious squad.

Instead it feels like I barely left the bus stop. I was almost sickened by the over smooth, over simple, almost poppy melodies. Where were the soaring sky-scraping-sky-scraper riffs? Where are the great melodies like textured oceans swimming round and round in my head? Where are the brilliant instrumentals that set the previous albums apart from thier contempories? What the heck is with the pop-tastic track Zebraskin? I would put that track down to some soppy 80s pop group rather than a suppossedly avante-prog-rock (?) band.

I'm not saying there aren't some truely beautiful dredg moments on this album - Bug Eyes, Sang Real and Jamais Vu are all powerful songs in their own right. But the over all effect left me feeling slightly soggy rather than drenched in musical greatness. I understand that all bands must evolve their style or risk stagnating, but this offering feels like a toned down, 'normalised' version of dredg's previous work.

Having said all that, I'm not going to put this album down as a complete write-off. I have a feeling that after a few more run- throughs (skipping Zebraskin, because that track really makes my skin crawl) this album will grow on me. I hope this is not the first album many would-be fans will hear - it does not do the band justice, and I might not have bothered listening to the other two albums if I ran across this one first.

Anyone thinking of listening in to the fantastical band, please try Leitmotif or El Cielo first, you will be far more satisfied by these melodious master pieces.

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