Covering covers generates originality.

The Walkmen - Pussy Cats
Posted by Tim Karan on 01-Mar-07 @ 11:51 AM

[5/5] In 1974, a brilliant yet eccentric songwriter (Harry Nilsson) and the creative catalyst behind a critically and commercially successful juggernaut (John Lennon) went on a several-month bender and recorded the results. The modern equivalent would be Conor Oberst and Thom Yorke capping a raucous road trip by staggering tipsily into the studio. Perhaps recognizing the unlikelihood of that collaboration, the Walkmen staged their own reimagining of Nilsson and Lennon's covers-heavy classic Pussy Cats. This 10-track romp feels spontaneous and cathartic, as if the Walkmen recorded it during an all-night wrap party after the completion of their other 2006 disc A Hundred Miles Off. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" offers Hamilton Leithauser the perfect vehicle to showcase his developing Dylanisms, while his tortured take on "Many Rivers To Cross" replicates Nilsson's shredded (during the Pussy Cats sessions) vocal cords. Even the album's ballads feel as poignant as an intimate conversation between friends who've stolen away from the revelry. With its infectiously festive atmosphere and broad instrumental range, Pussy Cats reveals facets of the Walkmen's personality that their originals haven't explored. (RECORD COLLECTION) Andrew Miller

ROCKS LIKE: John Lennon's Rock 'N' Roll • The Stooges' Fun House • Bright Eyes' Fevers And Mirrors


Official Website: http://www.recordcollectionmusic.com