Catapult Calypso Reviews!!!
Posted November 22, 2006
Pitchfork Media
This year has been stuffed with bands exemplifying the sort of adjectives that give critics a bad name: angular, sharp, spastic-- basically, shorthand phrases that don't actually do much to convey the sound of a record to the reader. Moreover, comparisons to Brainiac or Fugazi can only go so far. And with Ad Astra Per Aspera-- as well as plenty of others-- even though they pull from those influences, they never exactly sound like the bands. Sometimes what separates one band's sound from another is just out of reach, something you can't quite place. So while there are moments on Catapult Calypso that sound reminiscent, chalk it up to similarities in approach rather than a lack of originality. Because if there's one thing this band's got plenty of, it's originality.
How many rock records have you heard recently that infuse screamy post-hardcore with melodies that sound like castoffs from Fiddler on the Roof? Probably not many, and for good reason. But Ad Astra Per Aspera pull it off here and there. There's a little bit of everything in this mish-mash, and sometimes it works better than others. The disc's first track, "Voodoo Economics", bounces from spacious indie rock to disco-punk within the first minute, mixing dreamy female vocals with ferocious male screams. From there we're thrown into "Post-Scarcity Sing-a-Long"-- Latin-tinged indie pop that, despite the name, doesn't offer much in the way of a sing-a-long.
Those songs showcase the band's ability to effortlessly switch between anger and sweetness, so it's a shame that the group also seems to trade in memorable melodies for musical oddities. This is especially a problem in the album's middle section. "Unnamed Acoustic Songs" features a sitar, but that might be the only thing to make it stick in your mind, as it's essentially the same line repeated ad nauseam over acoustic strumming and, well, then there's the sitar. "Glosbos Illuminados" is a generic, noisy blues number that sounds like the song during which you hit the bathroom and then grab a beer. Even worse, the band forays into honky-tonk with "Everybody Lets Me Down", complete with tinkling piano and banjo. It's not that there's anything wrong with tinkling piano and banjo; it's just that it starts to feel like the band has an identity crisis after a few of these departures.
But by "The Romantic One", things are back on track, and even though the track has a little in common with "Glosbos Illuminados", this time the cyclical guitar in the background and vocal shrieks pull it out of the barroom muck. "Flannery's Coming Home", the album's funky and melodic closer, is the most uplifting track here, ending things on a positive note. Any band that leans this heavily on experimentation is bound to have a few failures. But we try to forgive and move on, and focus on the successes. With Catapult Calypso, you might be bored by the lows, but that only makes the highs that much higher.
- Cory D. Byrom
Vue Weekly
Punk rock spirit with
The musical smarts to make
Me say: Holy Shit!
IGN.com
Rating: 9.2 out of 10
Have you ever wandered through a museum, looking in amazement at canvases painted by those who are labeled as misunderstood geniuses and outcast loners? While staring at those works of art, you undoubtedly wonder what goes on in the minds of these artists, hoping for even a second to be able to understand them.
Well, I may not be able to tell you what they think, but I can now say that I have heard the soundtrack to the lives of those men. It is Catapult Calypso by Ad Astra Per Aspera and it is as unique and individual as any of the canvases hanging on the walls.
The first full-length release from this Lawrence, Kansas quintet is nothing short of a sonic gem. The category-defying indie band uses this release to successfully blend a litany of diametric opposites into a package of beauty: melodies and discordant sounds; harmonious vocals and agonizing screams, punk rock rhythms and pop beats. These all come together to form a well-crafted record that will appeal to a mass audience while eschewing the pleasures of the masses who are just looking for formulaic songs from pre-fabricated artists.
The very first track, "Voodoo Economics," is a blast of high-octane energy infused with rhythmic dissonance. So as to prevent any kind of complacence with what they are trying to accomplish, AAPA follow that up with "Post Scarcity Sing-a-Long," a tune that can best be described as what you might have heard if the Cure were southern rockers.
"Scatter Baby Spiders" is a Jackson Pollack-esque song in which the band, in a fit of musical inspiration, throws musical notes onto a scale to see what will stick. In typically atypical AAPA fashion, the next song on the CD is "Nothing Else is the Real Thing," a song which belongs as the background music on a Johnny Quest-like cartoon chase scene. To ensure that the status quo of stylistic wanderings is continued, "Unnamed Acoustic Song" gathers all the characters from the previous two songs and puts them in the same room for a giant Moroccan dinner party, complete with belly dancers and magical smoking pipes.
Ad Astra Per Aspera, which is also the Kansas state motto meaning "To the Stars, with Difficulty," is an appropriate fit for the band as the songs on Catapult Calypso will definitely take the listener to the stars, among other places, but the ride will be free and easy and the listener will want to go again and again.
- Ed Thompson
Music Emissions
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Catapult Calypso can literally blow you away from everything thats packed within its ten tracks. Found inside are experimental influences like that of Sonic Youth, only hopped up on some horrible form of caffeine. Franz Ferdinands catchy pop-influenced indie can be spotted as well, especially in quick guitar work ("Scatter Baby Spiders!"). Added to all this are exotic Middle Eastern and Latin touches, and bits of country rhythms ("Everybody Lets Me Down"). The result is the rough musical interpretation of falling down the stairs, only fun. "Nothing Else Is the Real Thing" delivers an exhausting odd-ball instrumental, supported by the foundation of a quick-pace beat and decorated with raw guitars flying everywhere, sometimes coming across the right notes. Ad Astra channels some sort of primeval energy, both through their instrumental thrashing and punk-rock vocals. The addition of unexpected influences like the Middle Eastern and country threads reveal that Ad Astra are more than just randomly pounding out songs, they have some master scheme in mind, and are dragging you along for the ride. "Voodoo Economics" begins as if it may turn in to a off-kilter pop tune, but flips in the completely opposite direction as the tempo is sped up and the ante is raised, all hell breaks loose as the vocals let it rip ("Were asking for subsistence!"), and just like that Ad Astra have you hooked. An exhilarating experience thats both exhausting and refreshing at the same time, Catapult Calypso puts a new spin on experimentalism, and shows that perhaps mixing your favorites might not be so horrible.
- Michael Schmitt
PastePunk.com
I'm guilty of overusing the word interesting in a lot of reviews. Sometimes it does a band justice and sometimes it might simply be used because it was "easy". Rest assured because there's finally an album that is best summed up as interesting: AD ASTRA PER ASPERA's debut album titled Catapult Calypso. From the band name and cover art alone, I had a feeling something crazy was going to be happening on Catapult Calypso, but did not expect it to be as diverse, unique, and enthralling as that of which it actually contains.
At first listen, AD ASTRA PER ASPERA immediately sound reminiscent of progressive, forward-thinking art-punk/post-punk bands like THE BLOOD BROTHERS, THE MARS VOLTA, and even THE FALL OF TROY. This is apparent from the opening notes of "Voodoo Economics" all the way through the song's hyper screamed/shouted ending that contains everything from clapping to distorted keys. So, from the start it sounds as if though AD ASTRA PER ASPERA is simply following a common trend. However, after this first song things get really interesting. "Post-Scarcity Sing-A-Long" is a mid-tempo, progressive-folk song, "Scatter Baby Spiders!" is a rambunctious and undoubtedly quirky piano-driven tune, "Nothing Else Is The Real Thing" is the album's craziest song with its out-of-this-world song-structure, and "Unnamed Acoustic Songs," because of its snake charmer vibe, seriously sounds like it was composed in India. The next trio of songs is where things get really good. "Glosbos Illuminatos," at nearly six-minutes in length, is AD ASTRA's pretentious side if they had one, "Everybody Let's Me Down" is as folky as they come with added hints of twang and string sections, and "A Fish Would Much Rather Swim" is a bizarre spectacle. In this one song, AD ASTRA manages to incorporate nearly all of their influences into an amazing performance. The entire length of it has a building drum rhythm that sounds as if though the song could break-out at any moment. When it does, the band goes into an all-out jam session that concludes the song on an amazing note.
AD ASTRA PER ASPERA are like a kid on Ritalin with nervous mood swings. At times, the medicine works and everything is calm and easy. At others, it's simply overcome by the sheer rowdiness of the kid. While this type of kid could cause someone massive headaches, AD ASTRA PER ASPERA do quite the opposite. Instead, they impress at any level of excitement or emotion. Catapult Calypso is in one word interesting, albeit in the up-most value of what the word represents when it comes to music.
- Corey Schmidt
Pittsburg City Paper
Within the scope of just one song, Ad Astra Per Aspera can bind together indie rave-ups and art-rock breakdowns, cajoling female vocals and primal screams. On its sprawling new record, Catapult Calypso, the Lawrence, Kan., quintet owes a bit to Modest Mouse, but also a bit to The Ventures surfy guitar melodies. And theres countless other bits and influences that really shouldnt work together. But somehow they do, gleefully, in Kansas.
Neufutur.com
Voodoo Economics comes at listeners with a number of different styles and sounds, and allows the band to create something that is intense as all get out without having to go into thrash or noise genres once. In fact, during Voodoo Economics, Ad Astra Per Aspera are really sedate, pulling influences from surf rock and Weezer more than Resist and The Locust. The band even throws in some catchy vocal melodies into the track, making Voodoo Economics a track that individuals can eat up with a spoon. Post-Scarcity Sing-a-Long blends together another batch of styles that would normally seem incongruous. This time, there is hints of the alt-country of Lucero, the folk-punk of acts like Latterman along with the indie rock of At The Drive-In and the early emo of Sunny Day Real Estate.
Again, there is intensity present even though that music does not have a sharp edge to it. The band is able to cull together a number of hits on their Catapult Calypso, and tracks like Scatter Baby Spiders! show that the band can experiment with time signatures and different instruments and still create something that works well with the rest of the tracks on the disc. The band puts forth some of the most challenging rock music Ive heard this year; there are so many nuanced lines struggling for dominance in a track like Nothing Else Is The Real Thing that individuals will have to play over and over the track until they can hear the big picture that Ad Astra Per Aspera is committing to disc.
I could completely hear a track like the aforementioned Nothing Else is the Real Thing making it big, even though most listeners will not be able to appreciate the full beauty that is the track. The extended instrumental ending to the track would likely be cut from a radio edit, but in my opinion it is the strongest the band is on this disc. Continuing using a Middle Eastern sound for the opening of Unnamed Acoustic Songs, Ad Astra Per Aspera understand the necessity of tying together tracks to create a fuller album. This does not lock them into a specific sound for their disc, but allows them to showcase exactly how innovative and interesting their output can be. This is the bands debut full length, and it does not sound to be that case; Ad Astra Per Aspera hits on all cylinders during each track of Catapult Calypso.
Slug Magazine
After two EPs and signing with Sonic Unyon Records, Ad Astra Per Aspera is finally releasing their debut full length. Catapult Calypso smacks the senses like a brick to the face. There is nothing on this record that deserves anything less than your full and undivided attention. Even if you tried not to listen closely to the blissful disunity exhibited throughout Catapult Calypso, it couldnt be done. There is something inherent within us that makes us curious and causes us to want to know more about things that are mysterious, things that we dont immediately understand. In the four short years since AAPAs inception they have mastered how to draw the listener in and make them so curious that they feel compelled to explore further and further. Ultimately, it is impossible to avoid getting caught in the chaotic web of noise that is AAPAs debut full length. The first listen will draw you in, but it may not convince you. Its the second listen that will draw you in, hit you like a brick and render you helpless.
- Jeremy C. Wilkins
Smother
New Wave chaos! Post-punk crust! Hectic hardcore rock! You cant lump this Lawrence, Kansas band into any particular genre or category. Its that intriguing mixture of avant garde music craft that pitches fastballs inside that will have you backing off the plate. Humorous lyrics with hypnotic chaotic choruses that remind you of Blood Brothers and indie rock coming together to party with psychedelic drugs in tow. Weird but delectable rhythms amid a torrential downpour of off-time melodies lead to an incredible musical adventure. An art-noise adventure!
JamBase.com
Not only is Ad Astra Per Aspera the official motto of this giddy quintet's home state of Kansas, but it is also Latin for "through the stars through difficulties." Seeing stars seems an appropriate way to sum things up because this is a band that brings forth a sonic sensation that gives its listeners and the world of pop music a swift kick in the balls. Ad Astra Per Aspera is like the dicey bastard child conceived by the Shins and Death From Above 1979 after a night of wild and drug-fueled orgiastic indulgence.
Catapult Calypso is jittery, antsy, and ever so colorful with its day-glo keyboards and a zig-zagging math punk aesthetic like that of At the Drive In with the spunk of early XTC. Singer/guitarist Mike Tuley's voice can morph into an array of erratic mood swings within a matter of seconds. Whether he's sounding cuddly or spastic, his screech merges well with Ad Astra Per Aspera's whirling psych-pop druthers along with their jingles, chimes, and jazzy infusions that never cease to keep twisting and turning.
Catapult Calypso has its moments that churn out bastardized Americana rhythms such as with the spacey pop of "Post Scarcity Sing-a-Long" and give a hoedown a potent cocktail of dub infusions and raw ADD punk with "Nothing Else is the Real Thing" and the sugary Eastern droning with "Unnamed Acoustic Song." With their love of cranking out the crunchy guitars and tepid circus ambience, Ad Astra Per Aspera prove that they're quite possibly the toughest kids on the block as far as indie pop goes. Be they spreading a cinematic feel over some rustic twang ("Everybody Lets Me Down") or veering the avant garde off into a syrupy terrain ("Globos Innuendos"), Catapult Calypso is here for those seeking the left-field pop gem of the year or those who wonder what it's like to be constantly loaded on a heavy dose of mushrooms and espresso.
- Chris Pacifico
All Music Guide
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Kansas quintet Ad Astra Per Aspera are nothing if not all over the place -- and initially it seems like their hyper-eclecticism might do them in, with "Voodoo Economics" veering between neo- post-punk-dance, ska beats, and the kind of wackiness that either suggests a lot of Frank Zappa or a slew of Twinkies. (Having calm female voices set aside high-pitched screaming is, if nothing else, ear-catching.) A bit of gooey sentiment in the song titles aside ("Nothing Else Is the Real Thing, " "Unnamed Acoustic Songs," and "The Romantic One" all suggest section titles in a new Nick Hornby book more than anything else), Catapult Calypso ends up a winner largely because rather than about 95-percent of their American indie rock contemporaries, Ad Astra Per Aspera aren't interested in creating dour or saccharine mock symphonies. It's a bit like Mercury Rev's insanity in its earliest days, if not truly as chaotic and gone, admittedly; alternately the hyped-up screams and often tense, nervous arrangements suggest mid-'90s emo la Gravity Records, before sops like Dashboard Confessional hijacked the term into sludge. Either way, a band on Sonic Unyon that seems like it almost belongs more on Ipecac while being worthy of both is a rare treat, and at its best Catapult Calypso lives up to its name. If there's a flaw, it's that no one song seems to stand out from the album -- it's almost best heard as a continuing experience, though all the compositions are discrete and it's definitely no concept album (at least on the face of it). But at 40 minutes it definitely doesn't wear out its welcome, and moments like the rising vocal yelps on "A Fish Would Much Rather Swim" and the banjo-tinged back porch kick of "Everybody Lets Me Down" are worth the listen.
- Ned Raggett
