Catherine Wheel: Adam And Eve

Catherine Wheel is one of the more deserving participants in the Brit-rock sweepstakes, a band with an equally strong handle on bombastic drama and subtle melody. The only problem is that with its third album, 1995's Happy Days, Catherine Wheel lost its touch, veering into surprisingly ham-fisted hard-rock terrain. Last year's B-sides set, the atmospheric Like Cats And Dogs, was spotty but gave reason for hope; the new Adam And Eve is a full-fledged reason for celebration. The group's most complete and compelling recording since its 1993 stunner Chrome, the record works on multiple levels, delivering hitworthy songs ("Delicious," "Satellite," the Radiohead-esque "Future Boy") in the process. Adam And Eve peters out somewhat near its end, and singer Rob Dickinson is prone to the occasional fit of Morrissey-esque pretentiousness (as on "Phantom Of The American Mother" and the unbilled closing track). But it's awfully refreshing to hear Catherine Wheel back near the top of its immensely satisfying game.