Permanent Revolution

Catch 22 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 2006)
• Original Release Date: June 27, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Victory Records
• ASIN: B000FMHCF4
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,988 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected, June 27, 2006

By 

Drastic Action "Doug" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Permanent Revolution (Audio CD)

I had generally come to the opinion that Catch 22, while a pretty good band, was always going to be overshadowed by Keasby Nights, and Kalnoky's subsequent absence. Their live shows were fun, and they still put out a few pretty good cds, but I just wasn't as interested.

Of course, this is where I say that opinion has changed. I bought this cd today, put it in, and was taken completely by surprise. Granted, I was already intrigued by the album art -- it was like they were going for an entire concept album, a feat which I did not quite see them attempting. But I was not prepared for the music.

I won't dissect it song by song, or attempt to explain why it seemed to reach out and grab me like none of their post-kalnoky cds have been able to. It just *did*. My 80's metal-loving friend even was trying to sing along right off the bat, and it's not even remotely his style, and the songs were all instantly catchy. While Alone in a Crowd seemed to try to relive Keasby, and Dinosaur Sounds tried a slower pace, this seems to be a further development of their own sound, except with more energy than was present in either of those cds.

Hopefully it will stand up to repeated listens, but as it stands now, this cd is definitely quickly becoming a summer favorite.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars C22 finally develops their own sound, July 9, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Permanent Revolution (Audio CD)

I had almost given up on Catch 22. I don't really need to go into the history of the band, suffice to say I thought Alone in a Crowd was merely an attempt to recreate the glory that was Keasby Nights, and Dinosaur Sounds was simply bad. Bafflingly bad. It seems the guys of C22 finally got the hint. Instead of trying to live up to the hype of "the band that released Keasby Nights" they finally take a bold step and try going in a new direction. That direction, much to my surprise, actually works.

Permanent Revolution is a concept album based loosely on the life of Leon Trotsky. The songs are arranged in chronological order, telling a different chapter in the story of the Bolshevik's rise to power and subsequent downfall. The music itself is very strong. The horns, which have always been one of C22's best assets, continue to shine here. For the first time in any C22 album, there are (gasp) good guitar tones! Ryan Eldred still isn't really a strong enough singer to fill the role of lead vocalist, but his voice is much stronger than Dinosaur Sounds, and his lyrics are much better.

So, where does this leave the band? They seem to have finally shaken off the KN stigma. This album defines their new sound, and they have reason to sport a newfound confidence.

Oh, and the last song sounds almost exactly like Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blown Away, June 29, 2006

By 

Mike Majeski (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Permanent Revolution (Audio CD)

At first I did not know what to expect from this album. I was a bit skeptical at first when I heard Catch 22 was releasing a concept album. As soon as I popped the CD in I was blown away. This is an entirely new Catch 22. There is so much energy on this CD, and the lyrics are like poetry. As each track progresses you can envision the story playing out.
The thing I love most about this album is how there are fast, loud tracks followed by slower, layed back ones.
The album ends with a beautiful acoustic song where we get to see how good Ryan Eldred's voice truly is. His voice was a bit weaker on Dinosaur Sounds, however this time there is a huge improvement. He might have one of the best voices in ska right now. I love the final line in that last song..."A life spent doing less than all you can would be a waste..."