Catch 22
Dinosaur Sounds
Review by Nicole Gough
Issue 3, Winter/Spring 2004
Being a huge fan of "Keasbey Nights," what I think is the greatest ska CD ever made, I was immediately drawn to the new Catch-22 CD, "Dinosaur Sounds." The task of creating new music to follow the release of a CD has always been mind boggling to me; the pressure is on to make sure that the second CD is just as good as the first, or even better. After listening to"Dinosaur Sounds" a couple of times, I came to the conclusion that there is just no topping "Keasbey Nights."
One of the main reasons I like "Keasbey Nights" is because of the fast-paced rhythm and upbeat sounds from the horns. "Dinosaur Sounds" is less like ska and more like pop-punk. The guitar riffs are too much like pop-punk, and the sound in general is pretty much altered. Maybe I'm just comparing it to "Keasbey Nights" too much, but I really don't think the work compliments the band as well as it should.
Even the lyrics are a lot different. That's not to say that they're bad lyrics, just nothing entirely similar to their old stuff. Catch 22's new songs lean more towards romance and heartbreak, and they give a more serious vibe than the songs from "Keasbey Nights." "Regression," track 10, is a perfect example of a romantic song with some captivating lyrics: "Forgive me my ineptitude. And I will change my attitude. I'm whining and pining for sweet embraces never known. A harvest from a seed unsown." The rhyme and word-choice is definitely commendable, but to me it sounds more like a Taking Back Sunday kind of song. Maybe they're going for a new sound. If they are, it's really not that bad. The new CD isn't what I would have expected from Catch-22 because it doesn't really fit the mold that they created for themselves. The songs are good and the lyrics are good as well, but it just can't compare to their older sounds.