Grunion Records
2006
Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
About This Album
If someone recommended Rainer Maria to you as a good emo band and you picked up a copy of their latest release, Catastrophe Keeps Us Together, you might have some difficulty understanding where that classification came from. Because even if Rainer Maria are an emo band, Catastrophe Keeps Us Together is not an emo album. For one, guitarist Kyle Fischer has been kicked off vocals completely, leaving plenty of room for Caithlin De Marrais to expand her singing -- and sounding quite nice, too, smoother and more melodic, choosing long, expressive notes over syncopated angrier ones. Her lyrics, while not exactly uplifting, don't look upon the tribulations of love with any kind of resentment. Instead, De Marrais acknowledges that difficulties happen (or have happened) and that not much can be done but sing about them. She hasn't resigned herself; she just isn't taking immediate action. The opener, the made-for-stadium-anthem "Catastrophe," talks about what the characters will do at the end of the world ("I've got a plan, I'm going to find you," she sings, almost ominously), a steady drum and driving guitar propelling the song along, with De Marrais' bass monotonously echoing the guitar line, making it very radio-friendly.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,7,9 and 10)

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