Posted on: June 11, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Caterpillar Tracks may categorize their sound as being descended from Fugazi, but with their first track, “Just Here To Visit”, the band shows their allegiance to Monster Magnet, Offspring, and Henry Rollins. The straight-forward rock assault of Caterpillar Tracks on this song is one of the best lead ins to a disc, benefiting even more from the surf-breakdowns nestled away in opportune moments during the track. The vocals that dominate during “Boot Strap Inflation” seem more Eddie Vedder than Ian MacKaye, but this is not necessarily a bad thing as they do interact favorably to the repetitious bass line and screeching guitar lines. “Boot Strap Inflation” ends with the ultimate chaos, using two different social classes of guitars to drive home its point. First off, the “rich” guitars soar above the track in their Hummers, while the rabble, the peasant masses of guitar struggle in vain to reach the heavens.

“Proper Method of Display” make seem to some to be the momentum-killer of the disc, as it has a two minute instrumental lead in dropped straight at the beginning of the track. However, Caterpillar tracks is a spastic enough band to allow for a host of differing arrangements to allow the track to gracefully incorporate vocals. The Vedder-tenor is again achieved during the track, and more than that, the entire track has a “Do The Evolution” feel to it. “Truth Acquisition” opens up in an more introspective vein than previous tracks, but no worries about Caterpillar Tracks going soft – just as with the rest of the tracks, “Truth Acquisition” uses in a very successful way surf-guitar. “Big Guns” sounds so much like a Thought Riot song that I wouldn’t be surprised hearing it on one of their CDs, but there is enough in the way of idiosyncrasies that make this track undeniably Caterpillar Tracks’.

Staving off some of the nervous energy that marked “Big Guns”, the long lead-in to “Last Desperate Move” opens up to show a brooding and iconic type of track. “Last Desperate Move” clenches and releases a number of times, pulling in listeners and spitting them out in the space of just a few seconds. Caterpillar Tracks are their own type of music despite the comparisons that can be made. Skillfully moving between alternative, indie, punk, emo, and harder-rock, Caterpillar Tracks are equally comfortable in whatever portions of those genres they decide to use for the track.

Top Tracks: Big Guns, Con The Consulate

Caterpillar Tracks – Self/Titled / 2004 Phratry Records / 8 Tracks / http://www.caterpillartracks.org/ [email protected] / Reviewed 19 February 2005

Rating: 6.8/10

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