I have a problem: I'm not completely sold on Cats on Fire. I don't even own any of their records, and I don't swoon every time I see the singer's immaculate hair.
Why is this?
It is some kind of snobbery because everyone seems to think they're the bees knees and I want to be curmudgeonly? Could be, cos this is why I refuse to fall for Pains of Being Pure at Heart, I think. Or could it be because, like so many bands who have had such an initial rush of good songs, their newer stuff seems, well, a bit bland? Maybe. Or perhaps it's because I completely jealous of the singer's immaculate hair and cheek bones. Probably.
Whatever, Cats on Fire are a band I'd quite easily fall in love with given half the chance. And I might have the chance now that Matinee are releasing their new album, Our Temperance Movement, as I have a serious crush on just about every Matinee release ever. Anyway, we'll see.
Of more pressing and vital news from Matinee is that the label is gearing up to release the Electric Pop Group and Northern Portrait albums any time soon. What a time to be a pop fan!
2 comments:
Are you FOR REAL?? I had to read and reread your first paragraph. I very clearly remember when Ian Popkid posted a picture of Cats on Fire on Bowlie over two years ago before their first London gigs and he said something like, "Just to remind you of what a REAL band should look like," and you responded, "Fucking hell, I'd go well gay for the two in the middle" [who were Ville and Mattias]
I thought you fell in love with them when (if??) you saw them during those inaugural UK gigs? No? Damn!
Are they owners of a bandwagon? I'm not so sure. Maybe because HDIF and Matinee are now releasing their albums their name will be more widespread this time around. They did two shows at the NYC Popfest last year (the only band who did) and I felt like it was maybe only a handful of us who were MAD FOR IT (though really I just wanted to grab Mattias's hand and run away with him so I could stare at him all day and have gorgeous babies with him through immaculate conception).
What the hell am I getting at? Ok, I think I agree with the bit in your second paragraph about their new album. I think "The Province Complains" is just BRILLIANT from start to finish. A picture perfect piece of flawless work. I am having trouble with the new album. Not that it's bad, but that it's not as immediate, jaunty, or jangly as their debut full-length. It doesn't stand out to me as much and I've been giving it a good couple of listens.
I'd sure love to see them live again, though. Mattias is an utter STAR, just made for the stage (I think I must have videoed like 5 songs of theirs last year!). I bet the songs would sound better live, though I also worry their more downbeat sound may allow the band to retreat into their quiet selves more on stage.
I'm with Sam on this one. I want to love them, I feel like they're the kind of band I would normally go crazy for, but they just don't excite me that much on record.
It was a different story when I saw them play in Glasgow though. They were sensational that night. Maybe they're just one of the many bands that are much better live than on record.
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