Catch 22

Permanent Revolution (2006)

Smelton

First off, let me say that if you hated the new Catch 22, Permanent Revolution might either make you hate them more or less -- not neccessarily great, but not as bad as made out to be. Dinosaur Sounds had a few good songs on it, but of course was no (and there never will be another) Keasbey Nights.

But Permanent Revolution -- it's not terrible, just not great. It really doesn't sound a thing like Dinosaur Sounds. It has more of a story feel to it (the whole album takes place around Leon Trotsky). The change is great on some tracks, and really bad on others. Ryan Eldred sounds great on the album -- for the most part.

The horns on the album are fantastic, though. Dinosaur Sounds was good when it came to horns, but I think these horns are just great, helping save the bad tracks. "The Party Song" could be on Kidz Bop if you take them away, and "Alma Ata" should just be played on a cruise -- no, make it elevator music. It's basically a bad jazz song.

On the good side of things, this album delivers two of my new favorite Catch 22 songs: "The Spark" and "Bad Party." "The Spark" is the song you can hear in the background on Catch 22's website with Kevin Gunther talking. "The Spark"'s horns are easily the best on the CD, and overall it's just a great, great song to chill out to. Then the end comes, and makes you just want to punch someone in the face! "Bad Party" has amazing lyrics (something you just don't see from new Catch 22 these days), and is by far the best track on the CD. Ryan Eldred sounds great on it, and the horns can get stuck in your head. "Bad Party" just makes you want to jump up and skank, and I hope that the next time I see Catch 22 they play that song so I can do just that. "Prologue" has an OK verse, but an amazing chorus, and good horns as well.

So overall, Permanent Revolution isn't what I thought it would be, but that's not a bad thing. The songwriting on this album is superb, and like I said before, these horns are great, almost as good as Alone in a Crowd. I have to applaud Catch 22 on doing something different, and they pulled it off pretty well too. So overall, if you're a Catch 22 fan, you should go out and buy this album, and if this is what to come from Catch 22, I see good things coming back their way.