ah, some more kind words...
Well, it’s Tuesday, time to pull out the new Summer Cats
record Songs for Tuesdays and give it a spin. I think that this album
may be misnamed, songs for the whole damn week more like. After
putting out a handful of eps on Cloudberry, WeePOP! Scratching Post as
well as singles on Slumberland (split with POBAH), Cloudberry (again and single of 2008 around these parts) and Knock Yr Socks Off (split with Aux Autres)
these Australians are set to release their debut long player next week
on that label that I can’t seem to stop mentioning, Slumberland.
A few of the songs from their stellar afore mentioned singles make
reappearances here, albeit in rerecorded versions. So Let’s Go and the
Lonely Planet jangle a little more than they did on their vinyl
versions and Kraut a little less. Former Earthman Scott Stevens sings
most of the songs but he takes a back seat on Maybe Pile and
Christopher Wren no let down in quality is suffered from the different
lead singer, in fact it adds to the album’s charm. There is also the
duet In June that could be the standout track on the record, it reminds
me of the Hummingbirds or the Go-Betweens,
great Australian company to be in. The band are making a short trip
over to the West Coast of the US to celebrate the album’s release. A
rare treat, in fact their first ever trip over here to play. Catch
them if you can, so you don’t regret it!
It’s Tuesday, so let’s play some “Songs for Tuesdays”!
Melbourne five-piece Summer Cats
have been an Eardrums favourite for a long time. This is pure, catchy
indie pop, – jangly, sometimes noisy and always full of charm, humor
and great melodies. I’ve enjoyed their mini-album “Scratching post”,
their weepop!-micro cd “Passion Pop”, their Slumberland split-single in
the series “Searching for the now” (together with The Pains of Being
Pure at Heart), their cloudberry-7″ of “Lonely Planet” and their
addition to our own “Summer’s here!” compilation, “Bedwetter”.
Wonderful releases, all of them.
So, was I excited when I got Summer Cats’ debut album “Songs for Tuesdays”? You bet!
After listening to “Songs for Tuesdays” I guess I can sum it up and
say that everything the band has done so far have sounded like demos
compared to this. The band sound ready. The sound is brilliant and the
songs are very good. It actually took me some listens to get fully into
this one, – mainly because I have found the band’s
not-always-on-the-beat jangle-sound very charming, and this time they
ARE on the beat every time, – and the wooly demo-sound is completely
gone. After many listens, I must say that no matter how much I have
loved the band’s earlier releases, I like this even more.
Don’t get me wrong, – it doesn’t sound “polished” and “clean”, – it’s
still jangly and they still sound like Summer Cats, – but the sound is
so much better, if you know what I mean.
“Songs for Tuesdays” includes new versions of
several songs from their previous singles/eps and several new ones as
well. Some nice details have been added to classic Summer Cats songs.
The ultra catchy “Wild Rice” from their Scratching post is slowed down and a fresh harmonica solo has been added. “Christopher Wren” has got a crispy and warm new sound that is so so so wonderful to listen to. “Lonely Planet” sounds almost the same, but has more punch in the album version. “Let’s Go” from their Slumberland single is also here.
There are some real gems among the newer songs too. “Fulton Girls” is fantastic, and the catchy pop duet “In June” is even better.
And… Please look at the cover-art, – isn’t it wonderful? Just as colourful and detailed as the music on this album is.
The debut from Summer Cats is out on July 14 on Slumberland Records (there will also be a coloured vinyl edition out on July 28, du to pressing issues).
Highly recommended!
Comments: Blissful, C86-style pop from this Australian indie
band, which makes its North American debut on the record company they
were made for, Slumberland. In addition to labelmates like The Pains of
Being Pure at Heart, Liechtenstein and Crystal Stilts, Summer Cats are
also drawing comparisons to Brisbane legends The Go-Betweens and
Canadian pop masters The New Pornographers. The record is solid
throughout, but Songs for Tuesday
really hits its stride in the middle with the boy-girl duo on "In
June," spinning through album highlights "Wild Rice" and "Waking Up."
Much like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the Summer Cats' LP is both undeniably catchy and extremely well-done.