Katastro - Sucker

by Kevin Wierzbicki

It seems like it was just yesterday when Katastro was merely a promising local band on the scene in Phoenix. But time flies when you're having fun and Katastro have provided a lot of that fun over the years, and the popular band is hitting on all cylinders on Sucker, their sixth full-length release. The effort begins with the bouncy, hip-hop-flavored pop of "The Way I Feel," a cut that manages to be seriously upbeat even though lead singer Andy Chaves is singing from the viewpoint of a guy who is unhappy with how things are going with his lover and he's getting it all off his chest. So not a happy subject, but the song, when played in concert, will no doubt inspire many in the crowd to wave swaying arms in unison. "100 Rips" recalls something the Beastie Boys might have done, "Pocket Fulla" drips with hooks, including in the chorus of "I'm about to lose my mind/Gotta pocket fulla ooh-my-my," while title cut "Sucker," the shortest song on the album at about a minute and a half, moves to a sublime groove. Chaves makes lots of references to catching a buzz throughout the record and the job has been well done by the time, near album's end, that "Way Too High" plays. Bound to become a favorite, the cut is not quite an anthem but is an irresistible sing-along, whether you're floating or not. Sucker will please Katastro fans who've been there since the beginning and will definitely add to the band's ever-burgeoning fan base.

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