Cats:For:Peru - 'We Had This Problem Last Winter' EP Review

Cats:For:Peru

Dear The Reader, 

I recently began writing music reviews for an online publication, We Are Unseen, you can visit them here. 
I'm also going to start publishing the reviews on this site for your own perusal; and my own pathological cataloguing needs.

You can listen to Cats:For:Peru here.

  In 1870, in the small Northern Irish village of Parkgate, a rather peculiar and morally ambiguous event took place. A poster went up, declaring that a man from Peru was coming to visit the village, and would pay good money for the villagers' cats. Many believed that they could make a fair sum off of this peculiar man's ailurophilia, and so the villagers brought all of their cats out into the street. When it was discovered, subsequently, that no such man from Peru was coming, there was much disappointment, and following this, much irrational selling of cats between the villagers who had needlessly gathered. This resulted in two separate outcomes. One, that all of a sudden some people had a lot of money and no cats; whilst other people had no money and a lot of cats that they didn't want. And two, the Sheffieldian band Cats:for:Peru found the inspiration a century later for their name.

  This is, by means of an introduction, a fairly long winded way of starting a review, but I knew you'd ask. The second question I am assuming you will want addressing is, "are they any good?" and so we move swiftly on.

  Cats:for:Peru have recently released the first EP, We Had This Problem Last Winter, since their 2009 debut album, and in that two year gap they acquired a synth, grew a bit taller, and swelled musically. The opening track of the EP, Open House, contains hints of Interpol's bass lines, Tokyo Police Club's enthusiasm, The Strokes' reggae infused chords, and even a splash of Does it Offend You, Yeah?'s breakdowns. All this should provide a veritable recipe for success, or a rather overstaffed brothy disaster. It is neither. These, albeit subjective, influences are simply spices sprinkled sparingly throughout, and serve simply as a testament to the band's eclectic tastes in music. 

  The actual meat of the music is much more tender, such as on Sleeping on Tightropes and raw, such as on Fear of Better Things. The songs take time to breathe and as a result rarely leave the listener gasping for breath, but they are well structured examples of lyrical ability, and how to use multiple instruments without creating a feeling of claustrophobia. The first two tracks are fairly decent synth powered indie standards that belong in the darkened back rooms of late night showcase gigs. Whilst the closing tracks have the sort of emotional depth that evoke midnight lakes and morning's mist clad forests, whilst the vocals sing of fading love, desperate situations, and futile actions.

  Overall I give Cats:for:Peru's EP an animal rating of Melanistic Cougar. Dark, sleek, elusive, and all too liable to be categorised as representing a whole genre of which it simply makes up a rare and arresting part.

Cats:for:Peru's 'We Had this Problem Last Winter' can be purchased or download from the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation's website for £3.49. A meagre price to pay to encourage the growth of unseen talent.