Black Cat White Cat - 9 Wild Lovers

​Black Cat White Cat

9 Wild Lovers
self-released; 2016

​3.9 out of 5

By J Simpson

Rock n’ roll bridges the gap 'tween high art and low class. Originally started as a youth revolt from glue-damaged greasers in the 1950s, sending American parents into paroxysms, rock n’ roll would go on to become the most polite of lifestyle accessories, soundtracking musicals and selling t-shirts at Target.

Rock 'n roll, like any artform, tends to build in complexity as time goes on - like the segue from the psychedelic hippy rock of the late '60s to the bloated proggy excess of the '70s. Eventually, the bloat becomes too much - like an ocean liner sinking beneath the weight of its barnacles - and a downsizing is required. In these periods, stripped down, gritty no-nonsense rock n’ roll becomes edgy, adventurous and avant-garde. 

Black Cat White Cat is a fuzzy, scuzzy garage outfit from Sheffield, UK. Black Cat White Cat blend the arch experimentalism and poise of rock n’ roll revisionists like The White Stripes with the late-nite menace of drug-addled aficionados like The Cramps or Pussy Galore on their album 9 Wild Lovers. The stripped down aesthetic is given an artful, bohemia edge by the female lead vocal, courtesy of singer Angela, who invokes the rock n’ roll artistry of early Patti Smith in her crooning spoken word and banshee wail. 

Like The Cramps or The White Stripes before them, Black Cat White Cat encourage a re-appreciation of early rock 'n roll, before all the bells and whistles and gimmicks and bows. Instead, Black Cat White Cat ply tasty, twanging surf-like guitars, scorching melodic leads and furiously falling bass lines. They speak to a misspent youth digging through musty old records, getting high and going mad off the spore fumes. They're a reminder that pure and honest expression is the most arty thing there is, doing more than any 6-figure recording budget could. 

Basically, Black Cat White Cat play really, really amazing garage rock with no artifice and just the right amount of pretension. They make you want to tease your hair, get a hammer and sickle tattoo and listen to Buddy Holly 'til 5 am instead of going to work. 

​Excellent stuff! Very highly recommended!

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