If you’re like me, you’ve been waiting months for today. Tonight is the album release party for Cleveland band Attack Cat at Musica in Akron. If you’re into powerful pop rock duos, add these cats to your list.
If there’s a sudden rise in the number of dance parties incited across the country, it’s a safe bet the kids have caught on to the vibe Attack Cat creates. Attack Cat boasts traded vocals between Rachel Hoskins and Dave Douglas, former drummer of Relient K. (I know, I was surprised a drummer could sing like that, too!)
What’s particularly rad about Attack Cat is the chemistry they exude. Douglas and Hoskins mesh really well, as apparent in their harmonies. You can’t help but love this band for its danceable beats and memorable lyrics, amongst many other redeeming qualities.
Their new EP Dandy Outlaws is out today, and we have an exclusive review!
Dandy Outlaws comprises five power-pop songs that best display that for which Attack Cat is known: driving beats, gritty guitars, complimentary keys, and male-female vocals that duel for the spotlight when they’re not blending in perfect harmonies.
Opening the EP is the first released single, “You Want Me Crazy.” This song perhaps best exemplifies that vocal power struggle evident in Attack Cat’s music. Mixed by international mix master Tom Lord Alge, this track is bound to get stuck in your head. You’ll find yourself singing it everywhere—around your place, the grocery store, the shower… Its infectious pop sound will pull you in, and you’ll be hooked.
The second track “Remarkable” is a delicate ballad, showcasing the duo’s prowess at harmonizing. This song perfectly displays the subtle strength of Hoskin’s voice, while Douglas shows his vulnerability, extending from a midpoint in his range to a solid falsetto. It’s a more acoustic sound than everything else I’ve heard from Attack Cat. Just beautiful.
Perhaps my favorite track on the record is “Tricks.” I get this chorus stuck in my head, find myself dancing around my apartment, and before I know it, I’m hitting repeat. This track is addictive!
Remember that friend you fell for, and how you wanted to tell them just how you felt, but you couldn’t find a way to do it? Cue the fourth track, “RCA.” Here’s a song that embraces that palpable tension between two people who’re vibin’ to more than just Duran Duran and the Jackson 5. Its tongue and cheek admission of interest in more than just listening to albums together. It’s a perfect track for Attack Cat, displaying obvious tension between Douglas and Hoskin’s vocals.
The EP closes with “Shoot from the Hip,” a dance-y tune that is clearing inspired by Douglas and Hoskin’s alter-egos, “the Dandy Outlaws.” This track could very well inspire a Bonnie and Clyde adventure of your own!
My suggestion? Pack your bags, grab your copy of Dandy Outlaws, grab the one you love, and strike out on your own adventure. Oh, and don’t forget to dance! (As if you could resist these beats.)
