REVIEW: Catherine Wheel, happy days, (fontana/Mercury Records)

- Dan Enright

The album opens with a sound and style reminicent of Seattle's sub-pop records, heavy and hard with slightly distorted vocals, yet melodic. Opening with the lament, "I've Got God Inside My Head" and continuing through the *first side* (I have the cassette) I couldn't decide if this was a heartfelt tribute to the style, or a tongue-in-cheek jibe, "Listen, anyone can do that..."

The packaging is as dark as the recording. The band's logo is printed in a dark gray on a black background, making it almost indistinguishable. That, and the title, are the first clue these guys are not contented. And for the most part, that's an accurate profile. There are a few "uptempo/not too gloomy" songs, but for the most part it's lyrically bleak.

After several listens, I'm still not sure if it's a tribute or a parody. They've captured the style accurately, either way. By the last song on side one, "Eat My Dust You Insensitive Prick", they've begun slipping back to the sound I'm familiar with. Sleepy, melodic pop, with breathy vocals and those unique harmonies. Still, the song's addition of bluesy harmonica ties it to the rest of the side. The stand -out track on the first side, "Little Muscle", (about the tongue, of course) is so stylistically different from the rest of the album - upbeat and rockin', using a major scale instead of the minors they seem to favor - it must be the album's single. The second side's, "Judy Staring At The Sun", must be the second single with it's classic "British Pop" style.

The second side opens with "Shocking". On this cut, the two styles are combined like oil and water. The instruments are contemporary rock, while their vocals and arrangement could only be Catherine Wheel. From that point on the album is a continuation of previous work. They still favor the harsh, distorted guitars, but the arrangements and harmonies have returned to their established style. The transition is subtle and well done.

Overall, the album seems to reflect a desire by the band to grow and experiment, by incorporating radically different musical styles they admire. It works fairly well. The group's moved forward while still retaining a link to their past. I suspect the next album will be the breakthrough. Oh yeah, they need to lighten up just a little more...