Josh
Catalano & The Dirty Thoughts – Give Away The Night
(Independent)
Josh Catalano & The Dirty Thoughts (Keith
Voegele, Patrick Miller and Jordan Laier) have been operating since 2011,
though Catalano, Miller and Laier were all members of Springfield, Illinois
favourites The Damwell Betters, and Voegele, as bassist in the Bottle
Rockets, hardly lacks experience. Together, they’re a tight, well-oiled unit
with a sound that errs towards Americana, but with a polished, progressive,
contemporary rock edge. Put them on a playlist that includes Wilco and Counting
Crows and they wouldn’t sound out of place.
The eight-track “Give Away The Night” makes for a
fine introduction to the group. Catalano’s a singer-songwriter who engages with
both disciplines, and The Dirty Thoughts understand the balance of light and
shade, the importance of dynamics, and when to let rip. Opening cut “Night and
Day” sets the scene; it’s primarily a song about desire, and it’s allowed to
build beautifully, propelled by a mesh of instruments and Catalano’s song. The
drama and longing of “When We Were Young”
provides an emotional centre point, its rhythmic drive countering and adding
energetic detail to the lyrical regret and sorrowful guitar. It’s followed by “New York Hearts”; this time a celebration of love and
sex, it’s Big Apple imagery and classic Lloyd Cole-esque delivery adds much to
its widescreen appeal. No shortage of knockout guitar soloing, either.
Phil S.
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