This album came out on July 14, released by Slumberland Records. The Summer Cats emergence has been one of those wonderful 'butterfly effect' internet age parables. Their first gig was in November 2006 at the Tote in Collingwood, Melbourne. They knock together a track ("Hush Puppy") and post it on MySpace (the website that - for reasons that elude me personally - should now just appropriate a paraphrased version of the Bruno buyline [ie being so 2006], but I digress). The track attracts the 3 1/2 star attention of Pitchfork and interest builds. A bevy of little releases follow.
What is interesting, though, is that most of these releases are out of North America and the UK. Blogs postings spring up which are written in Spanish (and I can only assume are not defamatory). People post to the MySpace site from all over, saying that they like their tracks. This experience is by no means unique in music - what strikes is that this distributive power of their music (particularly in the international sphere) has been largely passive. Until the current US tour, they had only played outside of the state they live in on two occasions.
But really, this conductive possibility is nothing without the music. Songs for Tuesdays really seems to represent a consolidation of their work between 2006 and now. The main reason I like it is because, as others have said before me, the entire product is affection without confection. The songs seem to roll together well and certain songs - most specifically Super - have taken on a new form totally unlike their original incantations - the vocal swells give the song a wash without asphyxiating the balance, the cringe is just right and the backward guitar solo near the end knocks it up notchs, nowhere near the hacknied 'trite psychadelia' sound that sometimes bedevils backward guitar parts. Scott B, hats off.
In June is charming not because it is naive, but because it is so unashamedly so. It rides along so smoothly, is pleasant and more-ish. The Irene - Scott S vocals work in that experienced, 'two hander' double act way. If it is not already clear, Ill be on the record now saying that I think this particular aspect of the recording is one of the standout elements that make this album strong. You can bung two singers together any day of the week... they can be good singers, but this doesn't necessarily mean that everything is going to work - ie.
Nuff said.
But these two work. Harmonically, dynamically - I have no idea. They just do. [By the way, the praise is for Irene and Scott - those two in the photo are fine in that respect].
The Hugh track Maybe Pile is another one in the Super category. It creeped up on me in a very unexpected way. Again, there is no overplaying of vocal in any respect and, most importantly, the words are funny and self depricating (two things I love in any music). This is a little charmer in every respect, from the pendulium guitar run to the cascade harmonies to the Hugh main vocal itself.
Julia doesnt do vocals but her drums also slide into the low key receipe. Her tricks are subtle (very very slight ghosted snare bits on the album - I like, that neat little beat on the lead out from Super - I like). Contrary to many, she is more Doug Clifford than Lindy Morrison to me - OK, she is female, beardless and beautiful [some slight points of difference] but she also hits them hard and she hits them tight and everything else will just work itself out. This aint Aerobic Tomwork Ozstyle, but who cares when the beat is kept so on. Histrionics be damned, I say.
As I mentioned before, the Summer Cats are currently in the US (sans Julia). I wish them all the best and would just note finally to Scott S that, colliquially, 'motherfucker' as a stage term of endearment in America... maybe save that one for Melbourne.
