Catherine Wheel
Happy Days

THE REVIEW

Hello, this is my first review and I've decided to talk about an album that hasn't been reviewed here yet but truly deserves it, so I've decided to fill that gap.

I want to talk about a British band that's not exactly very famous (unfortunately) but certainly very influential for many bands that came after, Catherine Wheel. They are a band that formed in 1990 in England. The singer and guitarist of the group is Rob Dickinson (cousin of the more famous Bruce from Iron Maiden). The album in question, "Happy Days," was released in the now "distant" 1995. The album features a lot of grunge influences for sure, although their typical shoegaze sounds are also present.

But let's talk about the album; it starts off very strongly with "God Inside My Head," a track that literally makes you jump out of your seat and immediately shows you what they're made of. The grunge influences of the period are very apparent here, but unlike other bands, Catherine Wheel doesn't try to imitate but invents their own style. The second track is "Waydown," which is also one of the two singles from the album. Here, the band returns to their previous style with a very beautiful song, and Rob's voice seems to explode when he screams. The third track, "Little Muscle," starts off very calm with Rob's voice almost whispered before exploding into a chorus that immediately gets stuck in your head. But with track n°4, Catherine Wheel outdoes themselves, in my opinion, this is the highlight of the record along with the first two. You can literally travel with your mind here; it's a true drug, with the final part giving you goosebumps with every listen. Other notable tracks include "Eat My Dust You Insensitive Fuck" and "Judy Staring at the Sun," track n°11 and another single from the album.

The entire album is worth listening to; there's not a single song that lowers the standard or makes you want to hit the skip button. The only flaw is that maybe there's not a classic single that appeals to everyone and would put the band in the spotlight (although personally, I think that both "God Inside My Head" and "Waydown" are potential "big singles").

In essence, Catherine Wheel is a band that unfortunately didn't manage to establish itself commercially, especially here in Europe, but they really deserved better fortune. In my opinion, they are one of the most underrated bands in history, especially considering the varied garbage we're given today (such as Linkin Park, Green Day, Finley, etc., etc., etc....). I recommend them to everyone who doesn't know them.

Best regards...