Equally Cursed And Blessed

The popular U.K. act Catatonia doesn't take well to definitions. The Welsh quintet plays a Cardigans-meet-Radiohead style of disco-influenced alterna-rock that is truly eccentric. It is also surprisingly charming. On "Equally Cursed And Blessed," the band highlights this dichotomy wildly, swerving from clubland beats to sunny pop to blistering guitars -- sometimes all in the same song. The star here is front woman Cerys (pronounced like "terrace") Matthews, with her full-bodied "razorblades and honey" vocal style. She's part Broadway show stopper, part childlike wisp, part snarling diva. But no matter which pose Matthews strikes, the results are almost always fun. This is especially so on "Dead From The Waist Down," "Londinium," and the irresistible "She's A Millionaire." And for those who missed the band's last effort, 1998's "International Velvet," the two hits from that album, "Mulder And Scully" and "Road Rage," are included here.