Catch As Catch Can – Nude EP

“Nude” is the latest extended play by Catch As Catch Can, an excellent German quartet based in Kassel. Consisting of four energetic, powerful, and carefully assembled tracks, this material arrives as a breath of fresh air that will indulge the listening apparatuses of even the pickiest music enthusiasts. It is their fourth piece of work this year, right after a couple of singles like “Born To Rock,” “Love Leather,” and “No Sleep ‘Til (Mutter) Bar” live album. Soundwise, Catch As Catch Can nurture such a powerful, thoroughly planned sound based upon the fundamentals of punk rock music. Perhaps these fundamental elements of punk rock sound are mostly hearable, but you’ll notice how some other sonic ingredients borrowed from post-punk, garage punk, hardcore punk, and rock ‘n’ roll found their way into this sonic equation. With this impressive amalgam of different but complementary styles, “Nude” carries a rich and luxurious sound that will appeal to even the most discerning listeners. Of course, the band uses all these additional elements as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details to uplift these songs on an entirely new level while they remain loyal to their primary sonic direction. It’s a marvelous extended play worth repeating over and over again.

As soon as you press play, you’ll notice how Catch As Catch Can continuously levitate between all the significant eras that shaped all these music styles. They experiment with late seventies punk rock, eighties post-punk, nineties garage rock, and even throw some hardcore punk in between. They do these sonic maneuvers with such precision and finesse, always delivering a cohesive sound. Each composition arrives with a perfect structure, garnered with many intricate segments, brilliant ideas, and marvelous orchestrations. Rock Oyster seamlessly blends some of the finest qualities of post-punk and punk rock while giving nods to garage rock sound as well. The song is raw, abrasive, aggressive, powerful, and heavy, with all the heavily distorted, fuzzy riffs penetrating the listening apparatus from all possible sides. The guitars unquestionably play a significant role in this sonic equation, acting as a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. The vocals continuously float between slightly clean and generously aggressive shouts, showcasing versatility in the vocal expression. In the meantime, the rock-solid rhythm section delivers equally intricate low-end and outstanding rhythmic patterns, keeping the remainder of the instrumentations in line while dictating groove and pace. Catch As Catch Can even include some hardcore punk segments in the end, proving their abilities to transform sonically in a matter of seconds. It’s such a great overture into excellent material that promises many sonic delicacies along the way.

“Born To Rock” reminds me of some eighties LA hardcore punk and punk rock vibes with Seattle, Detroit, and New York scenes. Bands like Adolescents, Germs, The Wipers, and many others unquestionably inspired these experienced musicians, but they provide such a fresh, unique, innovative sound thanks to their willingness to experiment with so many styles at the same time. This particular song even carries some art-punk, post-punk, and proto-punk maneuvers which unquestionably decorate this track in the right places. The guitars sound rich, luxurious, and detailed from scratch to finish, the vocal arrangements are as clever as their musical soundscapes while the equally intricate, vividly hearable, warm-sounding bassline offers more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth. The hectic drumming keeps everything together with tastefully assembled beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, holding the entire collection of catchy, engaging, memorable orchestrations together. “Love Leather” is another standout track from this marvelous EP, carrying some of the best guitar works these experienced musicians have to offer. With profoundly complex arpeggiated chord progressions, enormously heavy power chords, excellent basslines, and intricate rhythmic acrobatics, Catch As Catch Can deliver another colossal slab of punk rock noise that will also appeal to those interested in garage rock, rock ‘n’ roll, indie rock, power pop, etc. This track perfectly showcases that these folks are capable of delivering music in any possible genre you could imagine. They thoroughly planned the entire structure, emphasizing guitars and superb vocal performance. The way the rhythm section decorates particular segments with cleverly implemented accentuations goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout the track. “CACCKORNR” closes this outstanding material with another blend of punk rock, garage rock, and rock ‘n’ roll, with a subtle touch of indie and art rock lurking around. Like previous songs, “CACCKORNR” also carries some of the best riffs you’ll hear in a while. The guitars shine during each moment, delivering so many thoroughly planned guitar works distilled in catchy melodies, harmonies, themes, and leads. These instrumentations flawlessly match all the vocal maneuvers, which serve as a centerpiece of the track, guiding listeners on another epic sonic voyage.

“Nude” is an auditory experience you surely don’t want to miss. With so many excellent vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuvers, Catch As Catch Can prove once again why they’re one of the most exciting punk rock bands today. Their ideas and musicianship shine on full display here while each composition vividly showcases that these experienced musicians poured heart and soul into every segment. It’s a memorable listening experience worth spinning over and over again. “Nude” EP is available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!