Cat Jams

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since 11/13/03 

©2003-5 Cat Jams Label / Blanche Braden / Aaron Arnoldy / authors & artists / Channing Kennedy

Sabertooth offers sound of unbridled youth that oldsters can't make

catjams; 4/30/2005 05:15:00 PM; comments=2; play post; ; back to

confirmed: Miami Dragons playing at the grand opening of the new Maude Vintage (818 E Broadway, street level, next to Tellers) on Friday, May 20th. Early show. Free.

catjams; 4/26/2005 11:58:00 AM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

Check out the Press page! It's looking fine, due to the hard and unpaid work of our own Aaron Arnoldy, who has recently been accepted into the Americorps program. I'll try to squeeze as much more life-force out of him as I can before he leaves.

catjams; 4/24/2005 12:11:00 PM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

Chris Keener from Oh*Yeah done turned in his mix. Get your bzIImn on

"pancakes?itsaprettymorninthinkifeelaheadachecominslice." christopherkurtkeener 2:33 3.8m

catjams; 4/21/2005 03:19:00 PM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

Swamp Fuck gains in notoriety, but Jason Cafer's remix goes with praises unsung.

Sabertooth broke up a few weeks ago. One show, one album, one college-bound Zach McLuckie accepted into the Chicago Art Institute on the strength of his portfolio (aka Cadillac Soldier).

catjams; 4/21/2005 10:19:00 AM; comments=0; play post; ; back to

here
I believe the rating was 4.5 out of 5 Ms.

also, congratulations to Miami Dragons on being named Best Local Band, Editors' Pick by Move Magazine. And to Maude Vintage for being named Best Vintage Store, Editors' and Readers' Pick, for the second year in a row. here

catjams; 4/17/2005 02:46:00 PM; comments=0; play post; ; back to

Maude is moving! from the Maude Vintage site:

"It's true! On Friday, April 15th, we will open our brand new shop space!

"The new store is located at 818 E. Broadway, in the old Mud Room space next to Teller's, just down the block from us and closer to 9th Street. It's on street level (a first for Maude!), and features tall ceilings, a large basement space, a brand-new boomin' stereo, windows (!), and just as much square footage on the main floor as in our entire current space. We'll have more and better displays for our local designers, and a room in the back will be perfect for our hot rental items, while the basement will make this our best Halloween yet.

"We'll have an official grand opening in a couple of weekends, but we hope you'll come check out our new home before then! Oh, and our current space will be around for at least a couple of months while we look for a subletter for it. If you're interested in some prime shop space in the District, email Sabrina at sabrina at maudevintage.com."

hooray!

a long time ago I thought this was a bit trite, but now I understand like I never could before.

DJ Chienloup "pancaked (procastination makes the world go round mix)" 4:31 4.2m

catjams; 4/13/2005 02:56:00 PM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

On April 5th, 2005, Aaron Richter said:

Sabertooth: Cadillac Soldier (Cat Jams)

Sabertooth is not background music. It’s in-your-face, fingers-plugging-ears rock music (only the best kind of rock, mind you) that refuses to give its listeners a break. The vocals will peel the skin off your face, and the rhythm section grooves will provide an anchor for the mounds of electronic squeals that would otherwise batter your brain into insanity. In other words, Sabertooth demands attention.

It’s obviously not background music, but for some reason I found myself listening to the band’s debut, Cadillac Soldier, in such fashion. While making dinner, reading a book, or drinking with friends, I caught myself playing Sabertooth’s album with the volume low, letting it rest in the background—the exact place it shouldn’t be.

Every now and then something would snap my ears to attention. Whether it be the obvious interlude chanting the words “We need attention” or the super-speed drum spasm, “Hubba Hubba,” Cadillac Soldier is so unrelenting that every time I found myself only half listening, I felt sorry for not giving the album proper interest.

Sabertooth is a trio out of Columbia, Mo., that layers hard guitar, furious drumming, plastic electronics, random vocal snippets, and monotonous drone in a wildly unusual manner. Some songs evoke the random funkiness of Need New Body (“Body People”) or the tribal rhythms of Liars (the untitled track 13), but other than that, Sabertooth’s sound is tough to pin down, which is exactly what makes it so fascinating. It has the ability to sound like something familiar, but it never parades its influences.

For a home recording, the tracks sound fantastic and cohesive. The guitar riffs and bass grooves ring clear when they deserve the spotlight, and the vocals are typically distorted to a point of incomprehension. Vocalist Zach McLuckie has an inhuman shriek of a voice that jumps from a lackadaisical grumble to a high-pitched faux-accent. It’s totally punk—annoying, but in a good way.

“Rich Man” begins the album with a bit of blues that unleashes brief spouts of noise segueing into “Piper,” which rides along grinding bass that breaks occasionally into an accelerated drone that conceals the yelping beneath. “Snob” relaxes in a groove, allowing several different vocal layers to spit nonsense, and “The Cyclone” is fairly simple, accelerating full-throttle from its start. By the albums final tracks, however, the noise layers and less-structured songs become a bit overbearing but only to the extent that it’ll make you want to listen again to everything that came before it.

The need to sift through Sabertooth’s density is part of the reason listening to the album as background music is a huge mistake. Cadillac Soldier is an interesting enough release that it deserves to become part of your daily activities. Call it “ear therapy,” and pencil it in between work and dinner.

For further information on purchasing this album contact catjams atttt catjams.com.

—Aaron Richter


Channing says: Don't forget Sabertooth has a live show video up in the Videos section, and a demo track here. I'll post the whole album for download once I have the webstore functioning (soon!). If you can't wait to buy it, it's available at fine stores (the ones listed at the bottom of this page) throughout Columbia, or email me and I'll hunt around for a padded envelope.

edit 5/26/05: here it is!

catjams; 4/05/2005 10:28:00 PM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

The Pancaked remix contest has officially ended. Off the record, please keep sending in remixes (completed or not) until the CDs come out. I have homes for them all.

Here a couple remixes.

DJ Mr. E "Almost Waking up da Neighborhood at 10:32 PM (Cornelius remix)" 3:30 5.2m
(of the Rico Suave Revolution) AKA 16 year old Chris Boeckmann aka CEO, The Tape Store

Erik Moore "remix03" 2:14 3.2m
Erik Moore did that Marriage shit, same dude

Hiroaki Koshiba "BLUES WITH TAKAKI" 1:03 1.6
HIROAKI KOSHIBA (ENTEI & WHITESNAKE graphichalf)

ULTAMAX "ULTAMIX" 0:19 0.5m
Al(tam)ex is the guy Erik references in his remix, he is a big drug-dealer

KoDream "PhaseNoiseProject-eggs,oil,flour,powder,milk(sore wanker mix)" 2:55 2.7m
KoDream makes music with little letters. Recently he had to buy one of each silverware item.


Label owner Blanche will be DJing some Cat Jams beats at Club Shattered on Saturday, April 9th, at 7:00 sharp, as part of 'Cardiopulminary Resuscitation,' an art/video installation involving Emi Hemeyer and Sandra Keeney et al.

I added an XML Atom feed.

I like this track by James Harvey. Also by james harvey is

7/6 James Harvey "Caveman Fred"

catjams; 4/05/2005 09:23:00 AM; comments=1; play post; ; back to

I would like someone to do a remix of an OBELISK track to put at the end of his forthcoming album. I don't want to make this into a whole new remix contest, I just need a dope re-fix from somewhere in the world. You can take your pick of the tracks (except the Pancaked remixes, unless you really want to) and do whatever you want with 'em. Deadline is a month or less. Let me know ( catjams at catjamsdotcom ) or just comment on this post if you're interested.

Re: OBELISK's comment, I'll get his intro and outro pieces up for you too. They feature mo' clappin' (with style)

Now they are also in the directory, plus another track, chxit

catjams; 4/02/2005 07:30:00 AM; comments=1; play post; ; back to