Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent album from a sadly-broken up band, December 16, 2001
It seems like lately any band that I begin to like end up breaking up. Even though I've only known of Catatonia for about 8 months, I was crushed by the announcement. I'm not usually into the genre of music (I hate to call it pop, because each track has a unique sound), but Catatonia is one exception I have grown to make. I know that in Europe and the UK, Catatonia was one of the more famous bands, but in the United States they are sadly unheard of, as is the case with many bands that originate from Europe (I had to get "Paper Scissors Stone" off of Amazon because I could not find it anywhere locally). In April of this year, I heard their smash single "Mulder and Scully", and that got me hooked. I bought "International Velvet" and "Equally Cursed and Blessed" and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and the quality of their music. I was ecstatic when I found out "Paper Scissors Stone" had been released this summer -- and is absolutely no exception, if not better than their other albums. Frontwoman Cerys Matthews has an amazing voice like none anyone's ever heard, and the lyrics are powerful -- ranging from sad and depressing [Mother of Misogyny, Imaginary Friend] to uplifting [Stone by Stone] to just plain weird [Is Everybody Here On Drugs?]. The accompanying band members also do a great job, changing their sound each track, making each one unique and fun to listen to. It is unfortunate that the band's internal conflicts led to the break up, but Catatonia has undoubtedly made a mark on the music industry.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Grand Exit, November 22, 2001
If what I've heard is true and Cerys is leaving the band then this is a grand exit. Song for song, I think this is the best one yet. And the production is excellent. Before you even notice the improved songwriting, the sound of it all just leaps from your speakers. But that's just surface. The songs themselves are uniformly great. Highlights include "Stone By Stone," "Fuel," "Immediate Circle," "Godspeed," and "Mother Of Misogyny." Cerys voice is fantastic and the lyrics are as biting and intelligent as ever. Perhaps a song or two too long but that's just quibbling. An improvement over the good (but not great) EC&B and a match for International Velvet. If you are one of those who bought the IV but then lost interest in Catatonia (and the lackluster album sales in the UK show that there are many of you), the album proves that the best was yet to come.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poignantly, the last from a great pop band, March 13, 2003
I have all Catatonia records, and I have to say this is more mature and sophisticated than the others. Cerys never sounded better. Such a pity they disbanded. But I am ready for Cerys' solo career - she's got such a unique voice and personality, and now that she's married and healthy again, I'm sure we will hear more great stuff from her.
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