Enchanting, calculated and unexpected
Catharsis, is Covet’s latest venture years after their early pandemic album Technicolor. This time around, frontrunner Yvette Young, who is based in California, has added bassist Brandon Dove and drummer Jessica Burdeaux to the band’s lineup. Catharsis has been cited as having its own entire universe according to Young, granting the band an opportunity to broaden the horizons of their reputation of having a true math rock sound.
The opening track of the album, “Coronal”, begins with a steady drum beat alongside calculated guitar riffs. For brief moments, though, there are noticeable changes in key, which are then followed by skillful drum cadences that are immediately captivating. Vocals take a back seat on this track, and on the rest of the album, as they’re hazy and difficult to interpret. “Coronal” is followed by “Firebird”, which is a much more straightforwardly enchanting track. There are no vocals in “Firebird”, but Young’s skill is audibly at play with the whimsy of the guitar melodies, which are modulated all throughout the track, and come to a satisfying grand close at its end.
“Bronco” is, in a way, an extension of “Firebird” and its crisp, clear-cut rhythms, with a hint of modernity as, at certain meaningful points, effects are used. About halfway through, it becomes evident that Catharsis appears to employ the same key signatures and instrumentals in each track, which, while slightly unorthodox, adds to its charm as a true ‘soundtrack’ album, as vocals and other elements are used sparingly, but meaningfully.
“Interlude” is an interesting change of pace, as a gentle keyboard makes its debut alongside soft hums from Young. Even the keyboard is played skillfully–its melody is surprisingly complicated and hurried–adding to the mystique of this unexpected change. Despite “Interlude” being the shortest track on Catharsis, it ends with two string stings, also quiet and a far cry from the nature and instrumental tracks that preceded it. The same string notes appear in the next track, “Smolder”, in a move that adds to Catharsis’ entry into the math rock repertoire. “Smolder” is slightly more on the ethereal side, and has a less upbeat timbre than earlier tracks, but, again, guitar, bass and drums all work in tandem as if they’re a small part of a major orchestra, working on their own accord.
The final track is “Lovespell”, which, like its name, opens with a charming, low and snappy guitar melody. “Firebird” and “Lovespell” were both released as singles ahead of Catharsis’ release, further solidifying their places as the album’s standouts. Halfway through “Lovespell” is a saxophone solo that begins a segment in which the rhythms change in tempo, then change back, then become completely different. Additionally, there is a quaint call-and-response coming from the guitar on its own, as if it’s leading the conversation, and the bass, drums and saxophone soon follow. Covet took the biggest risks in “Lovespell”, and the result was an excellent, well-written and always charming closing track.
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