Craig D'Andrea is an acoustic guitarist/composer based in Connecticut, and 'Crazy Is Catching' is his debut album. It is an extremely solid effort in which his natural ability shines through.
The Best Things About 'Crazy Is Catching'
The album starts off very strongly, and as it turns out, the first four tracks are the best on the whole album. The opening track 'Canada Sad' is an excellent song, and uses harmonics on the guitar to great effect. One couldn't ask for much more from an opening song really.
The second track 'Morrison County' is arguably the best on the LP. This has become a 'YouTube' sensation, and rightly so. The remarkable thing about Craig is his ability to control the pace of a song, and his transitions in speed are absolutely seamless. This is as evident here as it is anywhere else on the album.
'Chet Your Hedges' and 'Everybody Needs One' are also very good. In these, Craig really manages to tell a story with the guitar, and 'Chet Your Hedges' in particular sounds like it could be film music. These are excellent.
The album is very well recorded as well. The clarity is superb, and the listener can hear every one of D'Andrea's precise strums. D'Andrea is very talented and it is hard to believe that at the time he wrote this, he had only been playing guitar for three years. He is going to be a star in this field of music for years to come.
The Worst Things About 'Crazy Is Catching'?
The album isn't paced well at all. After the first four tracks, it seems that D'Andrea runs out of steam and ideas. The songs 'Canada Sad' and 'Stages of Obsession' are remade with 'Goby Mixes', where tinny drums and swirling keyboards are added in. These almost ruin the tracks and one thinks listening to these that the album would be better off without them.
The fifth song on the record 'Crazy is Catching' has no real sense of purpose, and seems to be a rhythm lost in a sea of guitar notes. 'Puzzles' and 'The Nurse' are also fairly B-standard offerings.
However, in the second half of the album there are a couple of good songs. 'Stages of Obsession' (without the 'Goby Mix') highlights his excellent ability to control pace once more, and 'Guess Who's My Favourite' is also fairly decent.
Should I Buy Craig D'Andrea's Debut Album?
The best bits of this album are so good that they cancel out the bad things - but only just. 'Quality not quantity' would be a phrase that Craig D'Andrea should take on board, as this highlights the downfalls of this record, and how he can improve.
However, as with all of the members of the 'Candyrat records' stable, Craig is an amazing musician and very talented. Considering he was only 22 when this album was made makes this an even bigger achievement. With a little fine tuning, Craig can go all the way.
Song To Check Out: Morrison County
Rating: 7.5/10
To buy this CD, visit the website of 'Candyrat Records', where it is also availiable in digital format.
