Catherine Wheel have been around for a long time now, haven't they? This is, what, their fifth album?
Well, now they are on a major label. They are still continuing to work with Tim Friese-Greene though, and that's good.
Their songwriting is still good modern pop without too much of that "britishness" that infests bands like Oasis and Blur. That's good.
The songs are hummable. There are enough hooks to get you through.
However, well, the album is also kind of lifeless. It's so slickly produced that it's as emotional as a prepackaged sandwich purchased at 3 AM from a gas station. Sure, it'll get you through, but there are so many better ways to gather sustenance. It is, really, your last resort.
My recommendation: if you want to hear Catherine Wheel go buy Ferment. If you are a huge fan and already have everything else, then you will probably be able to extract some pleasure from this. Not me though.
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