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Review: The Catillacs - Meow Mix

The Catillacs - Meow Mix
2008, Richard Bean

Meet The Catillacs, an Americana trio from La Center, Washington. Consisting of Richie Bean (Vocals, guitar), Susan Costa (drums) and George Burton (bass), The Catillacs are like a Super group born of the Portland music scene. Originally conceived as a rockabilly outfit, the Catillacs quickly realized that this genre limited them too much and branched out to include a full array of American roots music. In August of 2008 The Catillacs released their debut CD, Meow Mix, described as a "mixed bag" of sounds and styles including blues, country, folk, rock and rockabilly.

Meow Mix opens with Boogaloo, a Commitments style R&B jam. Boogaloo sounds like a perennial concert favorite, the sort of song that really gets a set moving. Bean is in fine voice here, and the interplay of Costa and Burton set a tight framework for Bean's classic guitar work. Soul Survivors has a Moody Blues feel to it, with lush acoustic guitar based music. Queen Of Denial is a southern-fried country rock tune that calls out someone living a lie (or a series of them). It's a great tune, very well written. The song does stretch Bean's vocals beyond what sounds comfortable for him at times however.

Ain't No Middle Ground opens with an interesting and unique acoustic guitar monologue that resolves into a remorseful country ballad. Deep Blue Sea starts from a delicious blues guitar hook and becomes an upbeat and lively blues rocker. The blues/rock material seems to be where The Catillacs excel the most, perhaps...

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