In no way do I stand here to speak as a Dredg fanboy or anyway someone who always followed them from the start, so they know and can pinpoint all small details this album carries and what they meant for the band and its history or whatever. I feel the need to write about this because it's one of those albums that, for some reason, stay with you for a whole lifetime; not always depending on its pure somehow "measureable" musical or historical value, but mainly for sentimental and/or conjuctural reasons.
2005 was a time that I had zero contact with anything post-punk. Not that Dredg were ever categorized as post-punk, but, according to today's musical standards, I think that Catch Without Arms would quite easily qualify for the term. Nu-metal was still around strong, and Dredg had a considerable deal to do with it, especially in their debut album Leimotif (as I retrospectively checked out), although they always had a more mellow and more "substantial" side. So, as I was mainly surrounded by garage punk noise on my speakers, Catch Without Arms stuck with me in an unexpected way. Back then, fans were accusing Dredg of imitating Radiohead or even somewhat going towards Coldplay, but, coming from a "virgin" musical environment in relation to the specific genre, I found a record that I could not stop listening to for months. Not complicated but direct warm melodies, supported by dynamic orchestration and Gavin Hayes' powerful vocals made for an album that can be with you everywhere; in friendly gatherings as much as in lonely cardrives. I couldn't exactly specify favourite tracks as I always devoured this album as a whole and it's full of beautiful ideas and memorable moments, but I guess I have to mention the incredible closer "Matroshka" or "Bug Eyes" with its amazing melody.
This is the only album I loved from Dredg, as I hadn't caught them before that and the next ones were kind of too "proggy" for me; but the musical timing on Catch Without Arms sounded just perfect. I have to say again that a Dredg fan would most probably have more to say about this album or its significance in the band's discography or why it is (not) their best one etc., but me, I found myself compelled to write a few words as to me this is a collection of tunes that has kept me company since their release and that it would surely be among my definite all-time favourite albums, had I ever been forced to make one. You would do very well to discover it, I think.
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