Catchers In The Rye - D'man

Hear The Track Here

First new name of the month (at least to me) is Catchers In The Rye, a four piece rock band from Columbia, SC. Members Zack, Ax (ooh wonder what he does!) Eric and Lee know how to get the message out there, as their excellent website illustrates. It's not all about the music ya know... Newcomers, I think, to Mixposure which is where they entered this request but judging by this track, they've found the ideal place for themselves. Already picked up by Mike Kohlgraf - who has been known to like his rock rock hard, if you get my drift. Not that Catchers In The Rye are a metal band, or even a heavy rock band or a (gulp) prog-rock band but a curious combination of all three, played with the sort of angry edge that punk is famed for.

An essential ingredient in this style of music has always been it's ability to skirt right on the edge of failure. That kind of shambolic sloppiness has become an artform all of its own, and Catchers In The Rye are exhibiting a large chunk of it in this track. I'd have to say that in any other kind of music, I be a bit less than polite but with out and out rock, the odd fluff just adds to the overall atmosphere. More so when you have the guitar steamroller that this band possesses, which becomes more and more obvious once the track really gets into its stride.

There is only one other track on their Mixposure page and that one IS billed as punk rock so it's obvious that the sound is intentional, and as such it's excellently done from the instrument sounds to the laconic, can't-be-arsed vocal despite it's tendency to wander a bit. That bass intro is definitely a Stranglers sound to my ears but I'm a musical train spotter from way back. Catchers In The Rye have enough on the ball to get out gigging and gain fans by the bucketload, and certainly enough attitude to do it all justice. While D'man is an excellent track (good lyrics too) and a great rock workout, it is a bit formulaic after more than a few plays but its energy keeps you going back for more, so no harm done eh? Nope, I should say not.

Excellent punk/prog heavy rock maaaaannn. Recommended.