Loose Cattle – Someone’s Monster
This group comes off with some nice late-career Little Feat sounds when female vocalist Shaun Murphy was featured (like in Loose Cattle’s “Tender Mercy”). They have tone & taste to spare with dominant fiddle & strong vocals built around some jubilant melodies.
“Further On” opens the album (that features Lucinda Williams & The Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood & Jay Gonzalez) with its smoky countrified warm resonance. Followed by “Joanne” that’s even more catchy with the dynamic voice of Kimberly Kaye. The album features 12 meticulously crafted pieces for the handsome Someone’s Monster (Drops Nov 1/Low Heat/Single Lock Records/57:35) produced by John Agnello with Michael Cerveris. The set was recorded in Maurice, Lafayette & New Orleans, LA, Nashville, Portland, OR & Sante Fe, NM.
The set is chock full of memorable alt-country-flavored decorously attired tunes. Back in the day, they’d compliment stuff like this by saying “They’re jukebox ready.” Yeah, they certainly are. Each is mainstream tight & commercially distinct. Nothing is cliched, or redundant. There’s a nice balance between male & female vocals that helps to make the showcase move along at a generous clip.
“Here’s That Attention You Ordered,” is a cleverly sung by Ms. Kaye. A nice shuffle with a repetitious line that’s sugar for sweet ears. The instrumentation is a little dark around the edges, but the fiddle & Kimberly keep it bright through their musical personalities. The band has learned their craft. Loose as The Grateful Dead, tight as Little Feat & Seatrain with a riveting performance thrust like the old Mother Earth with Tracy Nelson. I would think the only genre they should touch more upon is bluesier tunes. Other than that, Loose Cattle have this music sewed up.
The grittier parts are sung by Michael Cerveris’ & it’s a dabble of contrasts that keeps the band from sliding into a formulaic rut. They don’t need a formula when they have instincts. The dual-sung “Before We Begin” is a sprightly upbeat melody that is deliciously performed. “Not Over Yet,” & “The Shoals” are the rockiest/bluesiest tunes to spill from the old Ten Wheel Drive’s powerhouse vocalist Genya Ravan bag. The song diversity between the two is what’s excellent. With grinding grungy fiddle sawing instead of the guitar. Superb.
Highlights – “Further On,” “Joanne,” “Cheneyville,” “Here’s That Attention You Ordered,” “God’s Teeth,” “Before We Begin,” “Not Over Yet,” “The Shoals” & “Tender Mercy.”
Musicians – Kimberly Kaye (vocals), Michael Cerveris (vocals/guitar/mellotron), Rene Coman (bass), Doug Garrison (drums/percussion), Rurik Nunan (fiddle/vocals) with Jay Gonzalez (keyboards/guitars), Lucinda Williams (vocals), Patterson Hood (vocals/guitar), Louis Michot (fiddle/vocals), Alex McMurray (guitar), Johanna Divine (lap steel/vocals), Jon Graboff (pedal steel), The Coven Choir – Debbie Davis, Arsene Delay & Meschiya Lake (bgv).
Color image courtesy of The Loose Cattle Facebook. CD @ Bandcamp + Apple + https://www.loosecattleband.com/
Enjoy our interview here: Interview: Kimberly Kaye of Loose Cattle on The New Orleans Community Behind Someone’s Monster