Caterpillar Daydreams

For most of these songs, acoustic guitar notes dance over lush string arrangements, provided by the group’s frontman, Patrick Collette.

These songs are a mystical experience. The first track, “2:00am,” doesn’t really fit with the others, but I’m glad it’s on the CD because it provides a taste of something different. This song is a dark, crashing, echoed rock sound that feels like something a melancholy Alice Cooper would do. Then we go into “Eggshells,” with its unexpected clarity and honesty that continues through the rest of the CD. The lyrics of “Eggshells” describe creatures of darkness and despair being nurtured by a vision of purity:

“She clothed us in gowns of satin white, spoonfed golden capsules, and read to us at night, and one by one we all turned out our lights.”

The keyboards and strings are dreamily perfect for these mystical songs. The band does gear up a bit on “Earth Diving,” which actually grows into an acoustic rocker for a brief interlude, with the vocal growing into a frustrated near-yell before the song quiets back down. But for the most part, these songs are beautifully sad.

This is intriguing work and not what I expected from the sunshiny CD cover art. This band is from Buffalo, where they play the local open mic circuit. I think they’re worth checking out if you’re near that area. Keep your heart and mind open.

The album is a wonderful mix of intricate guitar, soft percussion, tortured vocals, and textured piano. Collette knows his music and this record brings a wonderful blend of a variety of different sounds and showcases his undeniable talent.

"2:00 a.m.," the album’s opener, begins with some strange sounds and ambient noise as it builds towards a drudgy and awkward track. A dirty guitar sound and Cure-sque vocals are prominent, and, when compared to the rest of the album, one wonders if it is even the same band. The next song, "Eggshells," changes tones completely. The guitar is quiet and melancholy, and the overall tone is beautiful. Aching vocals and great atmosphere bring us closer into the world of the tune. Think Red House Painters meets a quiet R.E.M. Great song. There’s an interesting transition as "Eggshells" flows right in to the next song "Eureka." This number brings a similar feel in tone as the previous one.

"Waterfalls" features a cascading piano line over some soft percussion as the song delivers a trancey, head nodding effect. "A Good Friend" starts off with a tad bit heavier intro that leads into a bouncy bassline and catchy chorus. It reminds one of an 80’s pop song but minus the cheesy synthsizer. The vocals on this number go from the quiet and the typical sound from the rest of the album to sounding faintly like Bruce Springsteen, especially on the chorus. The finale to the record is a revisiting of the great "Eggshells." This time though the track is heavier, with distorted guitar replacing the quiet tones of the original version. Although the previous version of the song is better, this is a nice revision as all the instruments come out in full force.

The album’s sound brings a DIY/home recorded feel. At the same time, the sound is crisp and clear. This is not just some 4-track basement demo. The band knows what it is doing, and, while the sound is a bit hollow at times, the overall effect is nice.

Caterpillar Daydreams gives the listener a glimpse of the diversity and talent of Just Plain Todd. Aside from the bizarre opener to the album, the record is a solid one, and indie rock fans should take notice.

The opening track 2:00 am alone with my big 29″ Lover is almost out on it’s own, as a very raw edged piece of work, capturing the spirit & a little of the sound of Neil Young’s more guitar prone moments, while others, like Eggshells (Hardboiled) grab a handful of keyboards to go along with the guitars, pushed a little more on my pick track Waterfalls, which is a softer feel altogether. There’s sure something here for just about anyone & I reckon you’d do well to take a look for yourself.