Catapilla- Catapilla

Ever wanted to know what happens when you mix prog, blues, and jazz? You get Catapilla. This 1971 debut album (first of two) came from a British conglomerate featuring Robert Calvert (Saxophone), Grahm Wilson (guitar), Dave Taylor (Bass), Malcolm Firth (Drums), Hugh Eaglestone (Saxophone), and the distinctive rasp of Anna Meek (Vocals). Though their albums had some critical success and influenced peers, commercial success eluded the group.

Things kick off with the steamy "Naked Death", which is driven by frenetic saxophone and drum work for 15+ minutes of work. The guitar is aggressive as hell, and Meek's vocals are totally deranged and very creepy. They grate the ears, and she's going to be one of those love them or hate them things. The wah-wahs and jamming get cumbersome after a while. The much shorter "Tumbleweed" comes after all the meandering, which is really nothing but a rather well done blues rock number. The following "Promises" then shifts over into a short Jazz fusion song. The saxophone led melody is very catchy, and this song transitions well between several movements. The 24 minute epic "Embryonic Fusion" takes up side B, and it spends a long time with a monotonous bass beat underlying some sax jamming. Afterwards it starts going into that jazz and blues hybrid, and it drags on way too long.

Quite a bit of musical motifs take place here. On one hand, Catapilla wants to be a bluesy jam band record. On the other, it wants to do jazz fusion. Both turn out well when isolated from each other on the two shorter songs, but when blended together the whole affair becomes a meandering mess. I do like Meek's vocal though, it's a really weird Janis Joplin type voice. She adds a shock factor to the record, which can pull it through some of its lows.

A stew of genres and ideas, dragging things out too long hampers the work. Grade: C+