Ian Cat

Ian Cat – Don’t Find Me Now

The high quality of this art-rock brew screams “find me” (or “Google me”) - iHeartNoise

If you pick up a copy of Ian Cat’s new album, grab a pair of headphones, too. Or, at the very least, play East Coast New England Boy with the volume turned way up. Within this static and fuzz beats the meticulous rhythm of something special.

Is space-folk a genre? It is now. Massachusetts musician Ian Laczynski croons mellow lyrics over the strum of his acoustic guitar, but atop that easily recognizable frame floats a dreamy haze of feedback, scratchy layers of electronica, and soaring, Sigur Rós-sized waves of resonance. His new album, while cohesive, manages to shrug off associations as quickly as it collects them.

In one moment, Laczynski croons in a tenor that figure-eights between blasé and tender tones, like Morrissey singing Smiths’ songs at 4:30 in the morning. In other stretches, he plays with a scrappy, pop-folk busker’s energy that will tickle fans of early David Gray. On album opener “Don’t Find Me Now,” the thumping roots-rock power chords and Sonic Youth-y fuzz driving the song play in almost humorous contrast to Laczynski’s plaintive, yarn-thin vocal lines. At moments, it sounds like Thurston Moore is trying to serenade his way out of a mosh pit.

Swim through the outer layers of ambiance, and there’s strength inside. The seven tracks on East Coast New England Boy comprise a song cycle that chronicles, as Laczynski puts it, “a slipshod hero’s journey to the left coast and back.” The barnstorming second track “Twist and Tumble Journey Through the Dark,” makes multiple pivots, combining catchy verses and melody lines with slippery soundscapes. If Wilco had written Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in the proud grungy style of a 1990s Britpop band, it would sound a lot like this.

“Close the door for privacy/ Just you and me and insecurity,” Laczynski sings on “Shake the Sheets” — a fitting nod to the tendency of young transients to end up alone, even when they’re together. “Grow up fast boy, be a man/ Your shield’s your sweat, your sword’s your hand/ Oh no/ And if you kiss my skin/ You’ll find more than you bargained for.”

Shoegazing isn’t often this soulful. Ian Cat’s music reminds me of an observation writer Olivia Laing made last year in her nonfiction book The Lonely City, which painstakingly explores the strangeness of being isolated within a crowd. “What does it feel like to be lonely?” she wrote. “It feels like being hungry: like being hungry when everyone around you is readying for a feast.” And yet, Laing wrote, “There are kinds of solitude that provide a respite from loneliness, a holiday if not a cure.”

That hunger in Laczynski is readily apparent, and our ears reap the benefits. But his constructive solitude — tucking into the studio to orchestrate and build an emotional sonic world, all frayed wires and fingerprints — proves tactful, and impressive. And we take that holiday with him, even when the songs on his new LP top seven, or even nine, minutes. These tracks are suspension bridges to somewhere else — gently bending, carefully built, and more solid than they first appear.

Ian Cat plays PA’s Lounge in Somerville on Jan. 23, the Sidewalk Cafe in NYC on Jan. 28, and Ralph’s Rock Diner in Worcester on Feb. 9. Learn more about Ian Cat at crimsonshq.com. - Valley Advocate

At times experimental and psychedelic, while at others upbeat and driving, Ian Cat's new album East Coast New England Boy, is truly a journey that must be experienced in its entirety. At its core, the album is a singer/songwriter showcase, exhibiting Cat's lyrical prowess, ranging from somber to exaltant. However, he doesn't stop there, adding shoegaze-y guitar tones and appropriately sporadic percussion to form an impressive soundscape. Check out Ian Cat & The Crimsons at The Plough and Stars with The Rupert Selection on 1/12. - The Deli Magazine - New England

Acoustic music at times can be redundant and boring. Hearing the same sound just in different chords can make someone lose interest unless it’s a song that’s absolutely brilliant. Now what if you add different dimensions to it? What if a song has an acoustic base but there are electrifying solos and feedback that pumps up the volume? That’s when you have something special. Massachusetts musician Ian Cat does just that with his upcoming release East Coast New England Boy.

Hints of shoegaze and psychedelic rock flow throughout a record that is anchored by Cat’s acoustic guitar. Each song stands alone in structure and melody while keeping with a unique style that blends two kinds of rock music. There are soft acoustic tones and emphasis from the amplified guitars combining to make something strikingly different. That’s what seems to have been Cat’s goal all along with East Coast New England Boy. He achieves it in stellar fashion by finding his own musical identity.

A few songs are somber ones while others increase in energy and enthusiasm. Overall, Ian Cat’s new album offers a listening experience that’s more of a rhythmic voyage than anything else. After you press play, you won’t be listening to the same kind of song twice. It’s refreshing during a time in music where a lot of artists can find themselves stuck in a formulaic rut. Let’s dig deeper into the variety East Coast New England Boy offers in my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week.

“Purgatory Blues” is a steady pacing rocker that is an excellent example of the upping of energy with raucous rhythms. Cat sings about perseverance and redemption in a song that finishes off with a sweet array of keys and a shredding solo. One of the somber ones is “Twist and Tumble Journey Through The Dark,” a track that has an acoustic base while the cymbals crash and the electric guitar sneaks through at points. With a romantic vibe, “Shake The Sheets” is a love song about intimacy and intrigue. Another solo comes in at the halfway point to add an epic note.

Ian Cat will celebrate the release of East Coast New England Boy with his backing band The Crimsons at the Midway Cafe located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston on October 28. Joining them will be The Knock Ups, OTP and The Furs. Cat and his band have been playing more in Providence these days, so be on the lookout for them at one of the many music venues in the city. When the album is released on the 28th, grab a copy of it. Think of it as a musical trifle with each song having a plethora of layers. - Motif

Boston based musician Ian Cat exudes an interesting mix of styles within his eclectic songs. There’s a tinge of distortion and feedback to give a shoegazy edge, along with guitar pop that is reminiscent of Oasis’ golden age and Wilco’s late-’90s material. All that is purely exemplified in his latest single, “Baggage Claim”, a lovely track all about waiting for the girl of your dreams at the airport. It’s acoustically driven with an electrifying solo that rips everything apart halfway through.

Matt Jones, who is also in Ian’s backing band The Crimsons, played drums on the track along with handling engineering, recording, and mixing duties at Wooly Mammoth Sound in Waltham. Scott Craggs of Old Colony Mastering in Boston’s south side put on the finishing touches as well. It has a pristine quality with no instrument overpowering the other and Cat’s voice comes in clear. There’s a full sound with nothing lacking, the amplification is steady without anything being left to waste. Along with playing acoustic and electric guitar and singing, Cat also shakes up a tambourine, plucks a bass and plays piano and organ on the song.

The single this week comes with a b-side, “Purgatory Blues”, that’s on Cat’s upcoming album, East Coast New England Boy, that’ll be released later this year. He also has a show happening with The Crimsons at Thunder Road Music Club & Rock n’ Roll Bistro in Somerville on January 17, where he’ll be sharing the stage with noise-pop artist Leigh Cheri and indie psych rockers Bottle Kids.

Until then, give “Baggage Claim” and “Purgatory Blues” a spin via the slider below. - Vanyaland