"Harmonically rich, lyrically intricate composition...accompanied by jangly banjos, subdued guitars, percussive piano and a bevy of guest singers."
-Paste Magazine: Emergent Artist Feature
The sometimes sleepy, often sparse musical nature of Signal Fire is one of thoughtfully placed eloquence, combined with his sweet, sweet tenor.
-City Pages
Eric Anderson, the face of Cataldo, seems to have a hundred heartstring-pullers in his pockets. Though songs which are reflective of bad times and nostalgic for good times tend to permeate independent music as a whole, Anderson’s words seem as authentic as the subtle and smooth music that follows it.
-Volume One
Anderson has put together eleven songs that run the gamut of slow love duets to group sing-alongs catchy enough to make you want to throw up. Filled with love and warmth, Signal Flare is an album that doesn’t care if you listen to it. But you won’t be able to resist.
-Sun On the Sand
Sure, you’ve heard heart-on-sleeve-sad-sack-folk-rock a thousand times before, but has it ever been dressed up this pretty? On Cataldo’s sophomore album Signal Flare, the sound of a sighing heart is tethered to joyous banjos, raucous group sing alongs and alarmingly catchy melodies. Being down-hearted has never felt so good.
-Metromix Magazine
What truly holds Signal Flare together is the exchange between the musicians: You can hear it in the collective voices calling back in chorus to Anderson, the connectedness of the violins, the bantering of guitar, mandolin and banjo — the "freedom of the moment" that Anderson wanted so much to achieve. If his aim was to utilize what was around him in making a great sound, Cataldo has surely benefited from outstanding resources. It's an album that will likely last for a while and continue to draw you in deeper with each listen.
-The Inlander
Signal Flare’s eleven songs are all relationship oriented ruminations, but rather than the emotional bleating that frequently entails Anderson’s boyish tuneful tenor deals in precisely captured moments, following the short story writer’s dictum of 'show, don’t tell' when it comes to conveying emotional truths. The album also breaks the mold musically, eschewing the hermetic dude with a guitar route of most home-recorded folk pop (nearly a dozen musical guests from the Twin Cities and Pacific Northwest help Anderson flesh out his tunes) and employing a bevy of lavish instrumentation to dress up his simple homespun melodies in high style (banjo, brass, strings, distorted windchimes, various pianos and keyboards).
-Reveille Magazine
Let's be honest. Most band bios are exercises in two things: Writing about yourself in third person and using flowery, alliterative language. When you read something like "Cataldo's moody melodies shed light on obvious song-smithing prowess," you know who's writing that shit. Me. Eric Anderson.
"Cataldo" is a band name I picked because "Eric Anderson and His Friends Who Play Music Well" didn't make a sensible acronym. That's who makes the recordings, that's who plays the shows, and that's how it will remain for the foreseeable future. Sometimes I play shows by myself. Why I picked that specific name is more complicated.
The Cataldo Mission is the oldest standing building in Idaho, where I was born and grew up. Built by a Jesuit priest named Anthony Ravalli, it's a gorgeous church that seems the picture of old world dignity and craftsmanship. In reality, it was created using simple tools, unpaid Indian labor, and cheap, provincial building materials. The internal frame was constructed using lumber cut and carried to the site. The chandeliers were made from tin cans. The walls were draped in fabric from Ft. Walla Walla, and are, in fact, hollow. Ravalli and his workers used simple materials to fashion this building, a testament to rural resourcefulness and ingenuity that you can still walk around in today.
So what am I trying to say? I want to make beautiful things using people and tools around me. I believe in circuitous, round-about methods, trying as hard as you can, and fucking up as much as is necessary before you get things right. I believe in counter-melodies, gang vocals, and the banjo. Most of all I believe in singing things that are important to me and might be important to you. Thanks for your time,
hey eric we are playing the vera project this saturday with recent saddle creek signees rural alberta advantage. hope you can make it out and chat with ya before you venture to the EU!
Glasgow- my favorite city in the world (so far)... with the Old Believers!!!! I feel like buying a plane ticket just to go and see that. Oh so happy for you...
<3 Love you. Ya know, one time, you were playing Last Word Books in Olympia, and I restrained myself from going in there when I caught a glance of you standing in the window and I was star stricken! I had to leave, feeling empty. It was too small of a place and I'm too shy of a person. Come back!
Oddly I was holding a Cataldo CD in my hand this morning when a story about the Cataldo Mission came on the radio (KUOW). Apparently they're piling up contaminated mining waste nearby for processing.
Eric, oh Eric. I fear I may never see you play again until next July, when I can finally legally enter on of the many venues you frequent. Anyway, I hope life is going good, and you are enjoying Seattle in the fall, and that you land yourself an all ages show sometime in the near future!
Dear Eric, i am very much in love with Cataldo i saw you a few years ago in the basement of a house with about 15 people in portland and decided you are in fact my favorite. You knew my boyfriend because your cousins a pro snowboarder i think but either way i have tried to find a copy of your CD not like the "via itunes" way like one you can hold in your hand, but i have found it difficult. If you have any suggestions i would love to find out how to get a copy! thanks
Been here on the west coast for a bit now and heading to public market and such today which somehow reminded me to check to see if you were playing anywhere tonight, which you're not. Bummeroo.
Eric, how's it goin' friend?! I've been going through Cataldo withdrawals not having any concerts I can go to!! The Fremont Abbey was cool, but all we Gig Harbor folk need a dedicated Cataldo house show! Keep up the good work, and I'll for sure come to the next all-ages show, whenever that might be!
Hello frieeeeend!! Hope all is well! I have made a new album that's avalible FOR FREE on my website - onemanfreacshow.com. Check it out, you might like it! /fredric, OMFS
