Title: Meow Mix
Artist: Catillacs
Label: CD Baby
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 884501006033
Genre: Rock

The Catillacs are a hard working American band made up of equal parts rock, blues and country which often cross pollinate in wonderful ways. "Meow Mix", their first CD is chock full of gems from the first tremolo soaked guitar lick. Several styles are represented here, but they hang together nicely, and the continuity of the band is never lost. This is a record that gets better with each listening and gets into your head 'til you crave it. The music is reminiscent of classic Americana, and while they never fall into the trap of sounding like copycats, there are comparisons to be made. From the CCR flavored "Boogaloo" on through the albums closer, the darkly spooky "Headlights" it jumps effortlessly between genres with several dynamic shifts which turn on a dime, but still manage to work well together...For instance, Robert Johnsons "Me and the Devil Blues" is given the driving slide guitar fueled punk/blues treatment which ends suddenly on a series of tight breaks which lead directly into the heartfelt alternative country ballad "In the Fall" with it's whining Telecaster fills and Susan Costa's achingly beautiful bruised harmonies as Richie Bean sings about loss and the circle of life and death. This is a recurring theme: In "Soul Survivors" the singer reminisces about his girlfriend, the love of his life who died in a drunken car wreck, which he survived. He is obsessed with her memory and can't let it go. "I won't forget that night like other people do" he assures her ghost. "Headlights", which opens with the sounds of rain on the road and a radio announcer describing a crime scene, is from the point of view of the killer as he flees through the night after exacting his revenge. While there is a dark side to "Meow Mix", There are also love songs aplenty: From the beautiful longing Neil Youngish "Love Bank" with it's lush chording and crying slide guitar solo to the simple acoustic "Deep Blue Sea" which could be described as a Roy Orbison or Chris Isaac style ballad, and "Ain't No Middle Ground", which sounds almost like something out of present day Nashville. The CD also includes honky-tonk (Queen of Denial), Chicago blues (Mean old World, True Love Figurine) and rockabilly/surf (Hoodoo Laveaux). The Catillacs are a local Portland Oregon area trio made up of guitarist/singer Richie Bean, drummer/singer Susan Costa and bassist George Burton. The three play everything on this self produced debut, preferring to layer parts where necessary to using guest stars or studio musicians. The one exception is the radio announcers voice on "Headlights", which is supplied by real-life radio personality Dave Whittaker. For those of you who care about such things the entire album was made using vintage guitars and drums, small tube amplifiers and analog stomp-box effects, so not only are the songs retro flavored, the tones are the right flavors too. Ten of the twelve tracks are originals.

Tracks:
1.1 Boogaloo
1.2 Soul Survivors
1.3 Queen of Denial
1.4 Ain't No Middle Ground
1.5 Mean Old World
1.6 Deep Blue Sea
1.7 True Love Figurine
1.8 Love Bank
1.9 Me and the Devil Blues
1.10 In the Fall
1.11 Hoodoo Laveaux
1.12 Headlights