“Catch Without Arms” is American Indie band dredg’s third album. Many consider second album “El Cielo” the band’s masterpiece. That one is indeed also awesome, but “Catch..” is my favorite. Here’s why, and why should hit it up.
About me – deathdoom.com, music and more
- Stefan Nordström
- Musician, songwriter, content creator, digital freelancer
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Bands: Desolator, Soliloquium, Ending Quest, Ashes of Life, Trees of Daymare, The Ashen Tree
- Social: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
- Stay in touch: Newsletter signup
- Support my work on PayPal: 1€ | 2€ | 5€ | 10€
dredg?
Since the band has been inactive or near-inactive for a long time, maybe a short intro is warranted. dredg is an American art rock/indie/alternative rock band that had its peak in the 2000’s. It’s one of my all-time most listened bands, especially this album, and it has been sad to see them fade into obscurity after the underwhelming 2011 release. Maybe they will be back one day? I sure hope so! At least in concert so I can see some of these songs performed live.
My history with dredg and “Catch Without Arms”
“Catch Without Arms” came out back in 2005, at the heights of my Katatonia fandom and forum presence. Many regulars on the forum absolutely loved dredg, and I eventually wound up getting into them too. It quickly became one of my staple albums at the same time and carries a lot of nostalgia for me to this day.
But unlike many of the Katatonia and Anathema albums I will revisit in this series, “Catch Without Arms” still has an immediate appeal. I’ve listened to it hundreds of times, and I still love it the same as I did twenty years ago. My ears have obviously changed too: back then I was a close-minded metalhead who wouldn’t think of putting on Incubus, Chevelle or Deftones. That era is buried, and listening to music differently makes me appreciate dredg even more.
The overall indieness and glossy, super-clean vocals will probably turn most rugged metalheads away from dredg. It’s actually funny how I managed to get into it back then; I assume it was the influence of the open-minded listeners at the Katatonia forum. I obviously have a lot to thank them for!
Why is “Catch without Arms” a perfect album?
Nostalgia and my personal connection aside, the tracklist is pretty much perfect. There are no throwaway tracks, and there’s enough variation to keep my interest. A strong argument is also the band’s originality: sure, this music is filled with hooks and it’s easy to digest, but there’s a lot of genre-bending and inventiveness.
dredg is equally funky and emotionally evocative. The group is playful and cheeky, but at the same time they can produce extremely emotional moments (see my favorite song “Sang Real” especially). There’s enough variation and detail to make “Catch Without Arms” a repeated spin for over 20 years.
I’m the addict on the corner
I’m the lawyer in the tower
I’m the body with the coroner
Not the leader with all the power
You’re the pillow, the cool side
The sand during high tide
The cocktail, poolside
The water when clouds collide
It also still sounds pretty modern to this day. Even if firmly rooted in late 90’s/early 2000’s sounds, I’d say the album has a timelessness to it. It has the surface (hooks, melodies, quirks) and the substance (genuine emotion and honesty) to stay in my playlist forever.
Have you listened to “Catch Without Arms”, or have you as many others forgotten about dredg? I’d recommend it for any fan of emotional music, metalhead, rocker or not.
Do you like my content? Give my music a shot
If you’re here reading about dredg, I assume you like your music experimental emotional. Why don’t you give my progressive death/doom metal band Soliloquium a shot? The best way to support me and my content is by listening and buying my music. Cheers!
0 Comments