Cats In Space - Time Machine
Time Machine, the new album from British melodic rock/ harmony pop notables Cats In Space, has the band – Greg Hart (guitars, synths, vocals), Damien Edwards (lead vocals), Steevi Bacon (drums, percussion, timpani), Dean Howard (guitars), Andy Stewart (keys), Jeff Brown (bass, vocals) – stretching further than before, whilst still holding true to their trademark sound of cinematic 70s hard rocking pop meeting that era’s ELO, Queen, Supertramp, The Sweet, Cheap Trick and Elton John.
Time Machine is also the band’s first album for their new label home of Cherry Red Records Esoteric Antenna label.
And it’s a new union that has paid dividends.
The title track sets the time shifting scene with an electronica/ synths opening (including a future-sounding Big Ben chime), before settling into an infectious mid-tempo that features power chords (that nod heavily to The Who), big harmonised vocal sequences and a lyric that reinforces, even with a time machine, there’s one thing we can’t stop ("time keeps ticking, ticking on by").
If the power chords on 'Time Machine' remind of 'Baba O’Riley,' then the opening of poignant 'My Father’s Eyes' (which lyrically looks to age, time and the paternal hero) is surely a nod to Boston/ 'More Than a Feeling.' The song itself, however, soon kicks into trademark Cats in Space melodic rock (with a Boston motif or two), which is as hooky as it is high on harmonies.
Power ballad 'Crashing Down' offers purposeful, downtempo contrast; the song’s gravitas is heightened further by a great vocal performance from Damien Edwards and plaintive, well-placed solo from Greg Hart.
'Occam’s Razor (Not The End Of The World)' is a high-powered rock and roller that packs a brass backed punch and plenty of full bodied harmonies (guest vocalist Julie Maguire makes herself heard quite superbly on the outro); the reflective Middle 8 part is a particularly nice, tempo-shifting touch, highlighting the band’s great sense of dynamics.
'Forever & Ever' is a piano led, synth backed ballad that carries tried and tested 'care for' lyricism; here however, such sentimentality works through the song’s interesting arrangement, which includes a Moog solo from Greg Hart.
Short instrumental 'Ivory Anthem' (think a ninety second compression of 'Funeral For a Friend' meeting the intro to 'Bat Out Of Hell') leads directly to bass-pumping, up-tempo rocker 'Run For Your Life.'
Lyrically, this might well be the most pertinent number on the album.
The dreamy pop of 'Velvet Rush,' which manages to mix and marry a James Barry/ sixties sound with contemporary sheen, is both a highlight and a great example of the band stretching themselves musically.
Lyrically, the song calls to the power of love, or connection, no matter the time or distance ("Like a flower that cries out for the rain, if you walked away, I would feel the pain… I can sense you way down in my heart, there is nothing can tear us apart").
Time Machine is also the band’s first album for their new label home of Cherry Red Records Esoteric Antenna label.
And it’s a new union that has paid dividends.
The title track sets the time shifting scene with an electronica/ synths opening (including a future-sounding Big Ben chime), before settling into an infectious mid-tempo that features power chords (that nod heavily to The Who), big harmonised vocal sequences and a lyric that reinforces, even with a time machine, there’s one thing we can’t stop ("time keeps ticking, ticking on by").
If the power chords on 'Time Machine' remind of 'Baba O’Riley,' then the opening of poignant 'My Father’s Eyes' (which lyrically looks to age, time and the paternal hero) is surely a nod to Boston/ 'More Than a Feeling.' The song itself, however, soon kicks into trademark Cats in Space melodic rock (with a Boston motif or two), which is as hooky as it is high on harmonies.
Power ballad 'Crashing Down' offers purposeful, downtempo contrast; the song’s gravitas is heightened further by a great vocal performance from Damien Edwards and plaintive, well-placed solo from Greg Hart.
'Occam’s Razor (Not The End Of The World)' is a high-powered rock and roller that packs a brass backed punch and plenty of full bodied harmonies (guest vocalist Julie Maguire makes herself heard quite superbly on the outro); the reflective Middle 8 part is a particularly nice, tempo-shifting touch, highlighting the band’s great sense of dynamics.
'Forever & Ever' is a piano led, synth backed ballad that carries tried and tested 'care for' lyricism; here however, such sentimentality works through the song’s interesting arrangement, which includes a Moog solo from Greg Hart.
Short instrumental 'Ivory Anthem' (think a ninety second compression of 'Funeral For a Friend' meeting the intro to 'Bat Out Of Hell') leads directly to bass-pumping, up-tempo rocker 'Run For Your Life.'
Lyrically, this might well be the most pertinent number on the album.
The dreamy pop of 'Velvet Rush,' which manages to mix and marry a James Barry/ sixties sound with contemporary sheen, is both a highlight and a great example of the band stretching themselves musically.
Lyrically, the song calls to the power of love, or connection, no matter the time or distance ("Like a flower that cries out for the rain, if you walked away, I would feel the pain… I can sense you way down in my heart, there is nothing can tear us apart").
'Yesterday’s Sensation' is the sort of high-pop The Sweet or Queen would have loved to call their own in their mid-70s periods (the fact the song channels both, in vocal harmonies and guitar play respectively, makes it another winner).
'Immortal' is a big-beat rocker that may be a little schmaltzy in its lyrical camaraderie ("you know we’re in this together, and we’re with you for all time") but, as with just about every upbeat number Cats In Space have written & recorded, the hook-laden, ear-worm nature of the song makes its attraction undeniable.
You could argue theatrical, slow build power ballad 'When Love Collides' is equally schmaltzy, but there’s a genuine sincerity in both Damien Edwards’ vocal and the reflective lyric ("I’d give anything to feel that way again, so it can be like it was back then").
Where the song truly shines, however, is in its outstanding arrangement and the wicked solos delivered by Greg Hart and Dean Howard.
For those that go for the CD version of Time Machine (and I’d highly recommend you do), there are four bonus tracks, a Ghost Mix of 'Velvet Rush' and three contemporized but faithful to the original covers (if they ain’t broke, don’t dare try and fix ‘em).
That power-trio of bona fide classics are The Walker Brothers 'No Regrets,' John Miles' classical-rock masterwork 'Music' and Slade’s finest ever moment, the cinematic 'How Does It Feel.'
It's no coincidence all three, lyrically, reflect on the passage of time, whether that be the reflective past, the present, or where we may be years from now.
Where do you go having released an excellent, fifth* studio album Kickstart The Sun (*discounting part seasonal/ part rarities mini-album My Kind Of Christmas) followed by this year’s rock (and hard pop) solid double live album Fire In The Night?
You travel in your musical Time Machine and return with your best album to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
'Immortal' is a big-beat rocker that may be a little schmaltzy in its lyrical camaraderie ("you know we’re in this together, and we’re with you for all time") but, as with just about every upbeat number Cats In Space have written & recorded, the hook-laden, ear-worm nature of the song makes its attraction undeniable.
You could argue theatrical, slow build power ballad 'When Love Collides' is equally schmaltzy, but there’s a genuine sincerity in both Damien Edwards’ vocal and the reflective lyric ("I’d give anything to feel that way again, so it can be like it was back then").
Where the song truly shines, however, is in its outstanding arrangement and the wicked solos delivered by Greg Hart and Dean Howard.
For those that go for the CD version of Time Machine (and I’d highly recommend you do), there are four bonus tracks, a Ghost Mix of 'Velvet Rush' and three contemporized but faithful to the original covers (if they ain’t broke, don’t dare try and fix ‘em).
That power-trio of bona fide classics are The Walker Brothers 'No Regrets,' John Miles' classical-rock masterwork 'Music' and Slade’s finest ever moment, the cinematic 'How Does It Feel.'
It's no coincidence all three, lyrically, reflect on the passage of time, whether that be the reflective past, the present, or where we may be years from now.
Where do you go having released an excellent, fifth* studio album Kickstart The Sun (*discounting part seasonal/ part rarities mini-album My Kind Of Christmas) followed by this year’s rock (and hard pop) solid double live album Fire In The Night?
You travel in your musical Time Machine and return with your best album to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ