International Velvet

Catatonia

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 7, 1998)
• Original Release Date: July 7, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000006R59
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,750 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
In the spring of 1998, Catatonia's International Velvet was the number one record in Britain, and they were touted as the saviors of U.K. rock. In itself, that's not such a great feat, since specious acts like Manic Street Preachers, Mansun, and Ocean Colour Scene have received similar praise. But in this case some of the accolades are justified. International Velvet is a cosmopolitan cavalcade of style and sound. Some songs ("Mulder and Scully," "International Velvet") are buoyantly punchy, combining the emphatic drama of the London Suede with the quirky vivacity of Elastica. Others ("Don't Need the Sunshine," "Johnny Come Lately") are more reminiscent of English folk- popsters like Nick Drake, and a couple ("Goldfish and Paracetamol," "Why I Can't Stand One Night Stands") even blend elements of trip-hop with lumbering bar balladry. Regardless of musical technique, all the songs are unified by the vocals of chanteuse Cerys Matthews, who can seduce, berate, and reduce the listener to tears all in a single breath. The Welsh music scene is Catatonic no more. --Jon Wiederhorn

Product Description
Japanese Version Featuring 4 Bonus Tracks Taken From The Steve Lamacq Radio Session Recordings. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The breakthrough album for a breakthrough band, December 6, 2001

By	Mr. B. G. Fowler "ben1283" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

By releasing a track entitled 'Mulder and Scully', they knew that they were going to be noticed by a wider audience. And this was how I found out about Catatonia - through an interest in 'The X-Files'. Who knew that something that had all the trademarks of a novelty single would be so good, or that the album would top the U.K. charts, receiving public and critical acclaim? Several years down the line and Catatonia have split up after putting out only four albums ('Way Beyond Blue', 'International Velvet', 'Equally Cursed And Blessed' and 'Paper, Scissors, Stone'). Obviously this causes me to over-sentimentalise the first album of theirs that I bought. Yet it really is fantastic.

Cerys Matthews on vocals, singing the words penned by her former lover in the band, makes each song raw with emotion, and her raw voice works to great effect. There are some real anthems here, especially 'Road Rage' and 'Mulder And Scully', although the slower and more heartfelt songs are the real surprise. There are few indie bands out there that can really touch you with their music - The Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' is the only one that comes to mind - but Catatonia are certainly one of them. Tracks such as 'Don't Need The Sunshine' and 'Strange Glue' are not only intelligent and interesting but you never tire of them.

However, the trials and traumas of Cerys have always ran parallel to the group, as she became almost like the British equivalent of Courtney Love in lifestyle. This meant that they have always been in the limelight and maybe this is one of the reasons why Ceryss quit the band. It's just a shame that we'll never get to hear more than four albums by them.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars incredibly wonderful and weird music from across the pond, July 20, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

International Velvet is the import to listen to! Since hearing the single "Mulder and Scully" on Zone 105's "Across the Pond" specialty show I have waited impatiently for this cd to make it to the States. "Mulder and Scully" is the perfect song to blast out of my car while waiting on freeway ramps (although "Road Rage" comes a close second!), "International Velvet" has me singing the chorus everywhere and I'm American! and "I Am the Mob" would have been the perfect theme song to the "Godfather" series. Ceryss has the most beautiful voice I've heard in a long time. As one of a few privileged Americans to live in a city (Mpls)that has a specialty import radio show that plays such outstanding bands as Catatonia, I feel it is my civic duty to encourage everyone to buy this disc and make it a hit over here.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I prefer "Dead from the Waist...", January 8, 2002

By	Steven G. Harms (Austin, Tejas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Cerys Matthews has an amazing voice.

Is it clear as a bell? Sometimes.
Is it growly as gravel? Sometimes.
Is it girlish as a nursery rhyme? Sometimes

Is it strong as steel? Always.
Is it sexy? Invariably.

I consider this a slightly less mature effort than "Dead from..down" but this is a notable warming up thereto. I very much enjoyed the singles "Mulder and Scully", "Road Rage", and "Game On." It's good britPop.