a beautiful exploration of human emotion with Cataldo
Prison Boxing is one of the principal albums that inspired the creation of this website. thus, i find it fitting for it to be the first album reviewed. i have known of Cataldo for a long time, primarily because of the ripping masterpiece that is “Ding Dong Scrambled Eggs” from their 2019 album “Literally Main Street“. but recently i downloaded Prison Boxing before embarking on a long backpacking trip. i thought it’d be a good use of the time to dive deeper into some discographies lesser-known by me while giving me a distraction when needed.
what i got was more than a distraction, it was an escape. i was transported out of the woods into the room with Cataldo. Prison Boxing is a masterful combination of gentle, soulful pieces interlaced with some incredible, energetic songs that borderline forced me to dance. both extremes convey tremendous depth of understanding of the emotions they portray and how to best explore them.
Cataldo’s voice carries a calm and collected vibe throughout the album. but their soothing voice carries a much deeper message with it of acceptance and wisdom. so much so that the album feels like confiding in someone you trust and respect. the rawness of the vocals contain a magic combination of frequencies that resonate perfectly with human brain waves in the same way that interacting with a good friend does.
a lyrical and instrumental masterpiece
packed with brilliant lyrics such as “and even an evergreen can get sick, you see” and “and I say, with purity and candor, ‘I’ve missed you’” the album is brimming with catharsis as you listen along. many times i was caught with a gentle grin on my face in appreciation for the cleverness that i was bearing witness to.
instrumentally, they are able to channel so much orchestral depth from so few pieces. if this were just an instrumental album, the music alone would communicate the same messages much like following a symphony. so, when you combine the instrumentals with the vocals, the listening experience is exponentially improved.
recommended tracks
if i could recommend two songs to listen to from the album, i would personally recommend checking out “Prison Boxing” and “My Heart is Calling”.
review by passtheheadphones
where to find Prison Boxing
album information
album name: Prison Boxing
artist: Cataldo
original release date: september 20, 2011
