Search - Catatonia :: International Velvet

In the spring of 1998, Catatonia's International Velvet was the number one record in Britain, and they were touted as the saviors of U.K. rock. In itself, that's not such a great feat, since specious acts like Manic Street Preachers, Mansun, and Ocean Colour Scene have received similar praise. But in this case some of the accolades are justified. International Velvet is a cosmopolitan cavalcade of style and sound. Some songs ("Mulder and Scully," "International Velvet") are buoyantly punchy, combining the emphatic drama of the London Suede with the quirky vivacity of Elastica. Others ("Don't Need the Sunshine," "Johnny Come Lately") are more reminiscent of English folk- popsters like Nick Drake, and a couple ("Goldfish and Paracetamol," "Why I Can't Stand One Night Stands") even blend elements of trip-hop with lumbering bar balladry. Regardless of musical technique, all the songs are unified by the vocals of chanteuse Cerys Matthews, who can seduce, berate, and reduce the listener to tears all in a single breath. The Welsh music scene is Catatonic no more. --Jon Wiederhorn