By Sam Rhode

Whenever an established band touts their new album as “accessible,” as a “re-birth,” red flags go up with older “been there from the start” fans. The reason being that “accessible” almost always connotes a change in direction. And for some, any change is bad change; for the rest of us, the question is: does this mean the band has sold out its principles in an attempt to grab the brass ring of wide commercial success, a la “Load”-era Metallica, or that the band has simply figured out how to distill what they do best into more focused, listenable songs? Like, say, Mr. Bungle’s “California.”

I’m pleased to report that the answer with regards to Casanatra’s latest album, “Death Ride,” is the latter. While I’m not quite ready to call it their “California,” this is a tightly focused, well-produced, musically interesting album that also happens to be melodically compelling and (dare I say it) mass-appeal listenable. Casanatra have achieved all that and more, since they have at the same time managed to maintain all the core elements of what made them a great band in the first place. The musicianship, lyricism, and sophistication of their previous work is fully intact; the difference is that the songs themselves have few wasted moments or digressions. There’s a job to be done, and when it’s done, it’s on to the next one.

Musically, as always, Casanatra brings disparate influences to the table. The tight fuzz-rock melodicism of Queens of the Stone Age rests easily alongside Fugazi-esque layers of chordal interplay, while the vocal melodies have an almost smart-pop quality. There is an understated syncopation to much of the music that calls to mind the last couple of Rush albums, but much like that seminal power trio learned to do through the years, Casanatra seems to have developed a strong sense of when to pull back on the prog and let the song breathe. Take for example the track “Vote For Blood,” where a zippy, off-kilter descending guitar line becomes a minor motif but doesn’t overpower the song itself.

Lyrically, the themes are introspective, but in a somewhat playful way. Again, it’s about striking a balance, and in the case of “Death Ride,” the obvious life and energy of the music serves to counterbalance the darker lyrics. The idea seeming to be that while things don’t look great, all hope is not necessarily lost.

With “Death Ride,” Casanatra have kicked out an honest, driven, intelligent record that sees them moving forward while not losing touch with that from whence they came. The album should garner the band plenty of new fans, while holding on to the old ones. Not too shabby as re-births go.

www.casanatra.com

Filed under: Music Reviews