CATCH WITHOUT ARMS

Catch without arms is the only album by dredg that i have heard at the time of writing, and all i can say it that "it's okay". When i got Catch without arms, i was expecting a great album. After i popped the cd in and finished listening to the first song, my expectations dropped to "well, if the whole cd sounds like this, then i guess it's pretty ok". And it did. Catch without is a very consistent, both in quality and style, and if you like alternative rock with a touch of U2, then odds are that you will like this cd. I know i did. Just not enough. If i was to descrivbe the album with one word, it would be "sterile". The sound is well produced, the singer is good, there is some good playing, some melodies are very catchy and the packaging is charming but, despite the fact that the lyrics are very hard to penetrate, and the music is typically alternative-moody, there is just not enough emotion in there. The Last track is the most U2-like, sounding at parts very much like "Where the streets have no name", and also the most worthwhile. Great outro to an album, and EXTREMELY catchy chorus. So, is Catch without arms "prog"? No, so don't expect to be blown away by the originality of it. That being said, i am pretty sure that i am being a little hard on it, and that many who have a leaning towards the more easy-going alt-rockish spectra might get something much more out of it than i did. But then again, i like U2, so..