Besides thinking that the name Cats In Space was a corny one, when I got the promo of their debut album Too Many Gods back in 2015, I also thought that this would be one of those one-off bands, the kind that released one album only to fall into obscurity and fade away shortly after. How wrong can anyone be? Since then the band has released no less than three albums – Scarecrow (2017), Daytrip To Narnia (2019) and Atlantis (2020) – and they all have been brilliant. And now it’s time for album #5. For a history of the band, go back to the previous reviews. Just like bands like Thunder, Def Leppard, Shinedown and Journey, CIS has released a double album in the backwater of being in a pandemic lockdown – and expectations are sky-high with the previous records fresh in mind.
The intro that bears the albums name, the first of three that does that, has some a cappella layered harmonies for about a minute before it takes us into “King Of Stars”, an upbeat pop-rock number that contains both AOR-laden melodies and some 70’s Pomp and a slight musical-theatre arrangement, quite dramatic and on top a seductive refrain with catchiness enough to sell. It’s a seven minute number that flies by in no-time complete with massive vocal-harmonies and a brass-section with some chunky riffs to go with it. It’s a spectacular tune and winner that reveals that CIS hasn’t lost anything in the song-writing department.
Leading single “Poke The Witch” is a mid-paced yet highly stompy pop-rock groover. Big on both piano and keyboards over a groovy rhythm the song has some 70’s Classic Rock inserted in the early 80’s, Foreigner inspired AOR-isms giving the song both a catchy and easily embraced outlook and and edgy live-feel. It’s an uplifting tune with sharp hooks and an irresistible refrain that’s smooth yet never cheesy. Awesome. The 70’s Sweet loving Glam Rock flirting single “Teenage Millionaires” has some early 80’s AOR melodies that’s carried by a Hard Rock foundation with crunchy guitars and live-friendly rhythms. The chorus is strikingly catchy and for us Sweet-fans, we can only lift our hats and bow. Amazing stuff.
“Goodbye To The American Dream” starts out on a slower note and a bit mellow with a dramatic ballady structure but it changes gear when the chorus comes where it takes on a stompy swing with the horn-section returning and hooky melodies, very distinct and effective and the dynamic contrasts are really uplifting. Very good. A pure ballad however is “1 000 000 Miles”. The song starts out quite low-key and stripped down with only piano and vocals, giving it a slight Elton John vibe. The chorus however takes the song into a more bombastic power ballad structure where the late 70’s and early 80’s meets with big backing vocals and I get a bit of a Styx vibe out of it. Great stuff.
“Fifty-One Pillow Bed” is more of a straight out pop-tune, very early 80′ style, with stains of AOR on a straight forward run. There’s a brilliant clean guitar-line with a very memorable melody, a slick arrangement and a refrain catchier than super-glue. It might be an AOR-pop song but CIS has their own style which makes a tune like this stand out a lot from modern AOR. This is a hit in my book. Terrific. “Charlie’s Ego” continues the previous path albeit with a more mid 80’s AOR twist and a swinging, danceable beat. I love the mixture of chunky guitars and smooth keys and the song sports a very live-inviting drive with vocal-melodies that glimpses at musical-theatre drama pomp. The chorus is a total hook-fest, impossible to shake. Love it.
The title-track starts out slow and calm on a dramatic and cinematic note. The song goes from piano and vocal to a bigger soundscape with layered vocals making the song bombastic and grandiose with a slightly heavier arrangement. The song goes back and forth between held-back and more big and pompous and every melody grabs a hold right away with a magnificent chorus, catchy yet not hit-searching, as the icing on the cake. Bloody marvelous. On a more earthy and laid-back note, “A Big Ballon” goes for a stripped ballad vibe where acoustic guitars rule. The chorus is larger and takes a smoother path with affable pop-touches with a Sweet outlook. Very good.
On a groovier stomp, “Smoke & Mirrors” sniffs around Arena Rock territories bringing on a raunchy guitar riff put together with a huge 80’s keyboard ditto. CIS takes a step into mid to late 80’s poppy Melodic Rock here but I also hear early 80’s AOR like City Boy and Streets with a nod towards Queen and a chorus with Def Leppard sized, massively catchy hooks and harmonies that you really can’t escape – not that you’d want to. So good. Almost like an interlude, “Hero” is a laid-back and stripped down ballad, very emotional and deep with only piano and vocals. It’s groundy yet sublime and a very good breather that really grabs a hold.
“Last Dance Saloon” is a guitar-driven Rock ‘n’ Roll kicker that blends raunchiness with pop-rock melodies and danceable rhythms 70’s style. It’s an upbeat, uplifting, happy-go-lucky, feelgood number with accessible and infectious melodies so strong you have to beat the smile off your face. A great tune. The last real song “Bootleg Bandoleros” is an 8-minute epic tune. It starts out acoustically as an upbeat pop number but it changes structure after half the song going electric with crunchy riffage and bumpy rhythms with AOR smoothness and it changes in structure throughout the song. Parts glances at The Night Flight Orchestra while other parts brings out Queen and 70’s Pomp Rock all the while with contagious melodies and a stunning refrain – a real killer. The album ends with the title track in reprise to make the album go full circle.
Just like the other long-players – double albums – that has come out this year, this album might come across as a bit tough to digest at first and sure, 15 songs needs their fair share of patience but the fact is, Cats In Space’s music is easily embraced where melodies gets its hooks in you right from hello. That said, CIS might wear their influences on their sleeves but with all those influences put in a blender, this band has created their own style and identity and no band in this AOR-laden genre sounds like CIS. Better yet, these guys are damn sharp song-writers and that hasn’t changed. CIS’ fifth album, the second with “new” singer Damien Edwards, is yet another brilliant effort. For old fans, this album is a no-brainer and for the rest of you, it’s time to give this band a shot. Both the band and you deserve that.
8/10
More Cats In Space reviews:
Too Many Gods
Scarecrow
Daytrip To Narnia
Atlantis
Tracklist:
1. Kickstart The Sun – Intro
2. King Of Stars
3. Poke The Witch
4. Teenage Millionaires
5. Goodbye To The American Dream
6. 1,000,000 Miles
7. Fifty-One Pillow Bed
8. Charlie’s Ego
9. Kickstart The Sun
10. A Big Balloon
11. Smoke & Mirrors
12. Hero
13. Last Dance Saloon
14. Bootleg Bandoleros
15. Kickstart The Sun – reprise
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