There will always be an attraction for me to bands that have no fear of not fitting into one specific genre. When a group takes the pieces they like from a bunch of different genres and combine them like only they can, it creates a truly original sound. Make music that you want to make, not music that you feel will sell records. Today’s fans can smell this out and will stand behind a band that stays true to themselves. A new band I found that seems to be on this path is Catalina Shortwave.
The New England band is made up of a group of guys that may be past their prime but still have music inside them that needs to be shared. In 2013 Brent Morton, Dave Rizzo, Marty Stauffer, and John Garvey started getting together in a cold basement to have some fun with some old instruments and an abundance of ideas. The magic was there and their joy started turning into songs. The Catalina Shortwave sound is an interesting mix of classic rock, punk, R&B, southern rock, and even some new wave.
Earlier this month the band released their debut album >>Repeater>>. It is 14 tracks of raw unadulterated fun recorded in a lo-fi setting that makes the music sound even more relatable. There is something for everyone here from the opener “Set My Horses Free” with its country twang feel to the classic rock “Jennifer’s Paradise” with its Jimi Hendrix influence. The vocal delivery on “Anne Boleyn” shows a new side European flair. The music is raw but catchy none the less. “There Ain’t Much Goin’ On But The Bottle” is an interesting storytelling style song with its minimal sound except for lyrics which are fun to follow. By the time you reach album closer “She Set Me Free” and its mellow psychedelic vibe your mind is officially warped and in need of the 8 and a half minute song to set it at ease. Go check out what happens when guys get together for the sole purpose of making music to suit themselves at: http://www.catalinashortwave.com/
