Band: Cathy Crescendo
Album: The Bright Branching
Reviewer: Tyler Hess
Track List:
1. The Camera Flash Song
2. Sayin’ It Don’t Make It True
3. Bring Out Your Dead
4. Covered It up
5. Kids
6. Scary Time To Be Alive
7. One Horse Town
8. The Strong Man
9. Cat At The Door
10. The Bright Branching
Finally, 2009 has some hope to it. Oh, did I bring the climax in too early for this review? Well, forgive me, but this is the first album to give me any real serious excitement for the last few months. Sure, there have been some decent listens pass by my ears along with some less than extraordinary tracks that I would soon rather forget, but nothing very magical. With their acoustic pop rock, Cathy Crescendo has restored my hope that good music is still out there to be made. Similar to the song structures known to occupy House of Heroes songs, where a track starts off one way and goes in a completely different direction, combined with the heart of a few choice Nevertheless melodies, this should garner some attention around these parts if you know what is good for you.
It doesn’t take long to realize that this album has some lighthearted songs that tie together well with some more introspective lyrics that keep the listening both enjoyable and interesting with a good variety available for feast. Topically, they can be all over the map, dealing with issues that can be both very personal and societal. That seems to be the dilemma brought up the most, the difficulty that can be found when struggling to find purpose in life, dealing with goals and dreams, while seeing that others have needs too. Life is complex and so art should be as well. Songs are filled with reality checks and the hope that needs to accompany them to proceed. Cathy Crescendo shows us how to want to be a star, a preacher, a good friend and Christian and pull it off by knowing God, which brings us to the point of humility.
Visitors to IVM should be familiar with this band, as they have been featured on the front page and have taken part in a couple of our samplers (“Covered It Up” was on one of them). There has indeed been a bit of hype around their music, all of which has been shown to be deserved and then some. This type of band is the reason why we are around. We want to see lesser known bands reach the success they deserve and this is one of the top bands I’d recommend you to check out that maybe not everyone has heard of. Get to it or else, because I know where you live and have seen where you sleep and if this wind picks up I’ll come get you and make you listen.
Overall: This acoustic pop rock album from Cathy Crescendo is the best album so far this year and is highly recommended to anyone with a brain.
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