THE CATHERINE WHEEL
Wishville (Columbia)
Rating: 4 out of 7
By Wendy Hermanson

The best way to describe Britain's Catherine Wheel is as a band that could have been Bush before Bush was Bush -- the advent of the band's layered, atmospheric pop was just a tad before such sounds became chart-topping, resulting in some solid albums falling slightly by the Gavin-side. Hey, at least CW's in good company; it happened to the Replacements, too, when a certain threesome managed to "slide" a totally ripped-off sound past an unsuspecting public. 

Still, to be fair, CW's latest record--its sixth in a decade--is nowhere near as catchy as anything Bush has ever done (and the band unfortunately doesn't have Gavin's--nor Gwen's--cheekbones as an advantage, either). Keeping this in mind, it's somewhat of a surprise that the band managed to scoop up a recent record deal with major label Columbia, a move which puts it in the company of such powerhouses as Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, and Lauryn Hill. However, CW's been consistently productive over the past 10 years, and there's something to be said for tenacity.

This is not to say that CW's music is inane or unintelligent--it's simply lacking power as yet another entry in a wall of semi-depressive guitar rock. Wishville should please longtime fans, as CW's recipe of sonic guitars fronted by Rob Dickinson's slightly gloomy tenor remains unchanged. Opener "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" simmers slowly into a controlled boil, pounding into melodic rocker "Gasoline." Things get yearning on "What We Want To Believe," and cool-n-sexy on "Crème Caramel," proving that there's several different kinds of Wheelies these lads know how to pop. 

All recordings courtesy of Columbia Records. All songs written by R. P. Dickinson, B. J. Futter; courtesy of WB Music Corp. (ASCAP).