CD review: Catatonic's "Red Light in My Head"

Before ever listening to Catatonic it might be easy to assume that they're going to be just another emo band.

Really, though, there's nothing at all alike between the emo that is popular at the moment and Catatonic. The first time I listened to "Red Light in My Head" the band A Perfect Circle was what came to my mind as opposed to Fall Out Boy, which is something that makes Catatonic stand out a bit more from the crowd.

Musically, Catatonic -- a three-piece band with vocals from Cape Girardeau -- sounds post-alternative, with its songs featuring both massive riffs and quieter chord play.

One of the best parts of "Red Light in My Head" is the vocals. Lance Ferrell can really belt out his lines in a way that is at times both endearing and heart-breaking for the listener -- you feel everything he does, every emotion, through his voice. It was difficult to think of anyone to compare Ferrell to; the best comparison can be made to Cedric Bixler-Zavala from The Mars Volta, both in vocal range and in the way the emotion comes across to the listener.

"Red Light in My Head" has many radio-ready rock songs. "Yellow Rhombus" is the perfect album opener -- with its chunky riffs and wonderfully melodic lead guitar lines it sounds like the type of track that would/should be tearing up the Billboard Modern Rock charts.

"Supposition" lyrically sounds like a modern update of "Radio GaGa" by Queen as it begs "radio, play a love song for me tonight" before exploding into a fury, presumably because the request was never granted.

"Be With Me Tonight" is the best track on "Red Light in My Head." The song's subject and words are ambiguous enough to appeal to anyone, and the chorus and instrumental breaks act as great hooks. The bridge wraps up the song well, as Ferrell's wails of "love is not real/it's something you feel just for tonight" shoot higher and higher.

The album also has many interesting, shorter musical pieces that act as interludes. The opening backwards-played guitar piece entitled "Psychedelic Light Show" is a great example and sounds like something that guitar maestro Brian May from Queen might have done. The interlude between tracks six and seven also acts as nice segue into the next song.

The production on "Red Light My in My Head" is very noteworthy. The album was recorded and co-produced by Brandon Drury, who has recorded many other local bands. It's obvious that few if any shortcuts were taken; the album's soundscape is never lacking.

Of course, the entire album doesn't consist of loud rock songs. "Mistake" provides a nice diversion about halfway through the album, with its sorrowful sobs of regret as its subject goes through a rough time. It is assured, though, that "it will all be over soon."

"Make Me Forget" acts as a great conclusion; its simple acoustic nature is adorned with subtle guitar lines about halfway through, keeping it far from ever being monotonous. The song sums up the album's overall theme of love and love lost with a plea begging to be able to forget. As the subject of the song says, there are surely some things that everyone would like to forget. But Catatonic is one band that you will not want to forget about anytime soon.

~ If you are a musician with a new CD or know someone who is, contact Matt Sanders at msanders@semissourian.com for a review in OFF!.