Chicago’s Catfish Haven pride themselves in living in the past; 2006’s Tell Me was overrun with a soul sensibility ala Joe Cocker fronting an instrumental Phil Spector band circa 1958-1966, while the lovable-via-trashy personaes of George Hunter (vocals/guitar), Miguel Castillo (bass), and Ryan Farnham (drums) coupled with the music perfectly.
Unfortunately, they overdid it this time and produced an album so concentrated with throwback that the self-parody became more important than the songs themselves.
“Are You Ready” opens the collection with an attempt at party-anthem status though falls quickly as all reality has escaped through the back screen door and the only thing left for the listener is a failed jingle for a Dr. Pepper commercial. As they venture through the title track and into “Set in Stone,” with a saxophone contributing a nauseating oink and jangling, funky guitar covering up any soul that may have been there in the first place, the listener’s finger rests heavily atop the “stop” button.
The intended disco feel, complete with aforementioned guitar and Farnham’s downbeat bass drum, is forgotten with Hunter’s chorus of, “Open up the gates/Open up the gates for me,” resembling more of a “Best of” collection from the band of a hip, young church exercising their ability to really “tap into today’s youth.”
“Invitation to Love” is the best-written song on the album. With a quiet intro foreshadowing melodies and structure, a fantastic song has been created, albeit on an album from 1995.
“Throwing-back” entails a single era and sound and a capitalization on said sound. The artist becomes that which they gaze so highly upon. Including something as out of place and strong as “Invitation…” reeks of discomfort and questioning of the original idea.
As Devastator continues the confusion slaps one across the cheek time and time again. “Play the Fool” presents itself as a low-rent soul singer fronting a team of all-star has-beens. “Full Speed” is the soundtrack to a NASCAR highlight reel with no humor involved whatsoever. “Valerie” and “Every Day” both hark back to a love lost with slow, heartfelt lines such as, “I thought I had no song to sing/But then you came to me,” and, “When you’re away/My heart just breaks;” poignant to the few that haven’t heard rock ‘n roll for the past sixty years.
With promise and hope imbedded on Tell Me, Catfish Haven seemed on the brink of being the bellwether for a flock of resurgent classic rock bands. Where they went wrong could stem from a number of things, but none of them are worth searching for; Devastator is incomplete, empty, and, worst of all, unaware of its own ridiculous nature.
– Luc Rodgers
Catfish Haven: www.myspace.com/catfishhaven
Secretly Canadian: www.secretlycanadian.com