SOUND MINDS SPEAK VOLUMES ( A New Review!)

ALBUM REVIEW
ARTIST: Cattski
ALBUM: Sound Minds Speak Volumes
RELEASED: 2009
PRODUCER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Cattski Espina
LABEL MANAGEMENT: 22 TANGO RECORDS

RIGHT from the first track, ‘100’ down to ‘Genius’, the album is all at once vintage Cattski. And yet this band, so rooted in Cebu’s music scene and pop culture, has indeed grown up. The band tries out some new stuff and yet it’s familiar enough to be comforting.

Not making light of all the artistry poured into the album, but this is how I think it came about: It’s like Cattski was looking at the blinking red button and said, ‘Ooohh I wonder what will happen if we push that?’ And she does. And it’s a big explosion of snippets of shiny musical inspiration that make its way into each track, one way or other.

The boys, bassist, Brian Sacro and guitarist, Junell Codilla, have stayed true to their craft. Guitarist and band mate, Anne Muntuerto, Cattski’s unfailing girl Friday, delivers the goods. Not easy when they all have day jobs. They’re the reasons why Cattski’s distinct enthralling voice has been given the platform it deserves.

A string of guest artists gives the album a different but welcome feel to it. A special mention of B’dict Climaco’s vocals in ‘Temporary’ has to be put out here. The man can sing me to sleep every night.

Music has always been subjective but it would take a tone-deaf, musically bankrupt llama not to appreciate how easily ‘Sound Minds Speak Volumes’ slips into your playlist. The album makes us glad that the band has stayed true to their passion, both living in and respecting music. And the fact that it needs to be shared.

Is this the band’s best effort yet? Yes and no. Each album has its own story and it’s never fair to compare each offering. Cattski Espina feeds off her emotions and sings them all out. Frustration, seeming apathy, condescension, longing, desires and anger. She sends them out to the world and we sit up and listen. We listen because we understand where she’s coming from. Musicians are luckier than most because they have found a way to release the clamouring of the soul into the wild with few casualties.

A recurring theme in ‘Sound Minds Speak Volumes’ is a longing for something. What is she looking for? Will we ever find out? And will we get to listen in? We expect great things.

-Krissi Banzon, Uvongo Beach South Africa 19 February 2011