The distinctive and soulful voice of Cat Nickless is beautifully presented in this debut album; floating and wavering from track to track in a manner that Joni Mitchell would be proud of. Cat's elegant guitar sound and punchy melody combine to create an upbeat folk aesthetic which is consistent throughout the album.
Each track layout and arrangement loyally follows traditional folk composition, which i suppose can be seen as either a positive or negative depending on the listeners preference although I, personally, was hoping for a more complex arrangement and deeper exploration of the folk genre. But then, that's a perfectionists view. However, I also felt that the lyrics could do with some fine tuning as they were not as poetic or as sophisticated as her voice and guitar sound,
However this is a solid first attempt by Miss Nickless and luckily for her, her vocal capability outweighs the at times simple and predictable lyrics. Having listened to her cover of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton on her Myspace page i think Cat has
huge potential as a recording artist and if you're unsure of her album don't write her off until you have heard this version of the country classic that she more than makes her own and displays some real potential.
Have you had a listen to Miss Nickless' debut effort? What do you think? Is 'Catopia' a Folk Utopia?? Have we just made a made an exceptionally lazy rhyme???
Posted In Demo Corner, May 15 2009.
Words - Lauren