PAPER SCISSORS STONE
Catatonia
(Warner)
RATING: three and a half
Nice what money can buy. When Catatonia were starting out, they were an offbeat Welsh band whose first two albums, Way Beyond Blue (1996) and International Velvet (1998) were so rough around the edges that the recordings often threatened to bury lead singer Cerys Matthews’ unique voice in noise. After the band achieved a measure of international success, their record label poured more money into their Catatonia budget. Equally Cursed and Blessed (2000) clearly benefited from the label’s faith in the band: supposed to be their international breakthrough, the album was suffused with orchestral flourishes that gave Catatonia’s sound a welcome heft and allowed the limelight to shine on the magnetic, mediagenic Matthews.
Paper Scissors Stone continues were the last album left off, and then some. It’s just glossily produced, but it also has the frenetic quirkiness that was Catatonia’s driving force from the beginning. This was something they almost lost in Equally Cursed and Blessed, which sounded just a bit muted in the midst of all that studio polish. Thankfully, the band has found its footing with Paper Scissors Stone, which has the energy of Catatonia’s earlier releases, coupled with the luxurious production of their latter days.
If you haven’t heard any of the songs on this album, it’s because it’s never been released outside of the UK (the albums available here are all imports), which is too bad, because there’s plenty here that have international hit potential.
The album’s first single, “Stone by Stone,” is about as close to mainstream pop that Catatonia have ever ventured, but just when you begin to relax in this new comfort zone, Matthews flashes a dangerous growl in the middle of her otherwise sweet delivery. Thanks to her band’s trademark unpredictability, this schizoprenia surfaces again and again in the album: in the partly serious, partly playful “Is Everybody Here on Drugs?”; in the jagged “Beautiful Loser”; in the frustrated intensity of “Blues Song”; in the ironic “Village Idiots”; in the restrained “Godspeed”; in the almost frightening change of direction in “What It Is” and “Apple Core.” Sure, they may be manic-depressive, but they’re all pretty catchy tunes, if not downright beautiful pieces of music. Matthew’s bandmates—guitarists Mark Roberts and Owen Powell, bassist Paul Jones, drummer Aled Richards—provide an ever-shifting platform from which Matthews can convincingly, seductively teeter.
Too bad, then, that Paper Scissors Stone is this talented band’s last release. Having announced their breakup earlier this year (not long after the album was released in the UK), Paper Scissors Stone is a mixed blessing for Catatonia. They’re going out with a bang, that’s for sure, but they’re also calling it quits just as they’re hitting their stride. Furthermore, the breakup means that the label’s going to pull out all support for the album, which means that Paper Scissors Stone may be cheated out of the commercial success it deserves.
Matthews pleads fatigue as the reason for her leaving the group, and her bandmates have not made it clear what their plans will be. Fans everywhere hold their breath, hoping that Catatonia’s sound will surface again somehow—whether the band members change their mind and regroup, take up with new partners, or go on solo. In the meantime, as they would say in Wales—diolch yn fawr, Catatonia, and hywll fawr.—Kristine Fonacier
(Warner)
RATING: three and a half
Nice what money can buy. When Catatonia were starting out, they were an offbeat Welsh band whose first two albums, Way Beyond Blue (1996) and International Velvet (1998) were so rough around the edges that the recordings often threatened to bury lead singer Cerys Matthews’ unique voice in noise. After the band achieved a measure of international success, their record label poured more money into their Catatonia budget. Equally Cursed and Blessed (2000) clearly benefited from the label’s faith in the band: supposed to be their international breakthrough, the album was suffused with orchestral flourishes that gave Catatonia’s sound a welcome heft and allowed the limelight to shine on the magnetic, mediagenic Matthews.
Paper Scissors Stone continues were the last album left off, and then some. It’s just glossily produced, but it also has the frenetic quirkiness that was Catatonia’s driving force from the beginning. This was something they almost lost in Equally Cursed and Blessed, which sounded just a bit muted in the midst of all that studio polish. Thankfully, the band has found its footing with Paper Scissors Stone, which has the energy of Catatonia’s earlier releases, coupled with the luxurious production of their latter days.
If you haven’t heard any of the songs on this album, it’s because it’s never been released outside of the UK (the albums available here are all imports), which is too bad, because there’s plenty here that have international hit potential.
The album’s first single, “Stone by Stone,” is about as close to mainstream pop that Catatonia have ever ventured, but just when you begin to relax in this new comfort zone, Matthews flashes a dangerous growl in the middle of her otherwise sweet delivery. Thanks to her band’s trademark unpredictability, this schizoprenia surfaces again and again in the album: in the partly serious, partly playful “Is Everybody Here on Drugs?”; in the jagged “Beautiful Loser”; in the frustrated intensity of “Blues Song”; in the ironic “Village Idiots”; in the restrained “Godspeed”; in the almost frightening change of direction in “What It Is” and “Apple Core.” Sure, they may be manic-depressive, but they’re all pretty catchy tunes, if not downright beautiful pieces of music. Matthew’s bandmates—guitarists Mark Roberts and Owen Powell, bassist Paul Jones, drummer Aled Richards—provide an ever-shifting platform from which Matthews can convincingly, seductively teeter.
Too bad, then, that Paper Scissors Stone is this talented band’s last release. Having announced their breakup earlier this year (not long after the album was released in the UK), Paper Scissors Stone is a mixed blessing for Catatonia. They’re going out with a bang, that’s for sure, but they’re also calling it quits just as they’re hitting their stride. Furthermore, the breakup means that the label’s going to pull out all support for the album, which means that Paper Scissors Stone may be cheated out of the commercial success it deserves.
Matthews pleads fatigue as the reason for her leaving the group, and her bandmates have not made it clear what their plans will be. Fans everywhere hold their breath, hoping that Catatonia’s sound will surface again somehow—whether the band members change their mind and regroup, take up with new partners, or go on solo. In the meantime, as they would say in Wales—diolch yn fawr, Catatonia, and hywll fawr.—Kristine Fonacier
posted by Kristine F. | Tuesday, January 01, 2002
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