by Bret
It felt like every eye was on me and I would never pull it off. While I was Christmas shopping, I got desperate and stopped in Best Buy. While I was there, I decided to "liberate" Catch 22's newest c.d., Alone in the Crowd, from the "oppression" that is Best Buy. Ska on Victory Records still seems like an oxymoron to me. The first time I heard these guys was on a Victory sampler. I didn't know what to think of a ska band on a c.d. filled with bands like Earth Crisis and Blood for Blood. Despite not liking ska too much (at the time), I decide to give Catch 22 a chance and I'm glad I did. Their first c.d., Keasbey Nights was amazing. Their unique style of ska was amazing and they sang songs about everything from love to organize crime. Next came their e.p All Washed Up and their sond changed considerably. Their once "happy-go-merry" ska turned into a more ska/punk sound. I liked the e.p. but i missed the old Catch 22. I wondered if this was a foreshadowing to their new album. Alone in the Crowd picks up right were All Washed left off. Some songs are much heavier and faster than others but much of their orginal sound is still intact. Some sections of songs even flirt with hardcore. If i could compare them to another band I would but I cannot think of any that even come close. Some complaints I do have with Alone in the Crowd are that no songs really stand out as being great, the album seems over produced (too perfect sounding, if you know what i mean), and the songs are a lot more basic than previous ones. Catch 22 always had lyrics that really made me think but much of these are gone. I'm glad I didn't actually pay for the c.d. I like it but there are just too many other albums I would rather spend my money on. I would recommend Alone in the Crowd to anyone who likes catchy punk/ska that blows the rest of this diluted type of punk away. Oh and by the way, theres a secret song that could easily be the best secret song of 2000.
