By Juliet Kozlow

I caught Nightmare and the Cat while they toured with Neon Trees and Smallpools and fell in love with them. In my live review of the night,  I called them something to the extent of Amish Addams family punk rock and I stand by that still wholeheartedly. Therefore, I was excited to see how they could transfer this onto a recording and I am far from disappointed.  Organs sound the start of title track “Simple,” casting a ghoulish glow before launching into a song that mixes Muse-esque grandiose dramatics with a more mellow, indie LA sound that sets it apart as a track from Nightmare and the Cat.

“Desert Heir” highlights how well Django Stewart knows how to use his voice: there’s a sassy, sultry quality throughout that takes a backseat and melts cleanly into the harmonies of the chorus. “Goodbye So Many Times” gives a sense of nostalgia and the almost uncontrollable urge to slow dance along.

“Undercover,” the lead single, is a indie-alt dream song. It’s the story of a whirlwind romance and disregarding whatever circumstances are occurring in favor of just having a good time. The staccato motif found in the pre-chorus is perfect for a sing along, leading into a chorus that gets your feet moving without fail. “Sara Beth” is a song for lovebirds in the best of ways: the lyrics sing of undying devotion to a partner. It calms from its loud verses to a soft, playful bridge before striking it out of the park with a final rousing chorus.

Generally by now, I’ve found at least one song on a release that feels weaker to me than the rest but Nightmare and the Cat break out of the typical alternative mold as far as their tracklist is concerned. With smaller bands, my experience has been that usually you’re hearing the first few singles within the first handful of songs to catch your attention and pull you into listening to the rest of the album. However, here, Nightmare and the Cat have managed to put their songs in such an order that it feels like the natural succession. “Sara Beth” leads into the slower-paced “Traditions” without any awkwardness, and in turn “Traditions” leads into “Blackbird Smile”‘s quicker nature the way it was meant to.

“X’s On Your Eyes” walks the line of getting tedious, landing on the enjoyable side by the skin of its teeth. However, it’s the perfect song to come before the ninth track. “Mae” is possibly my favorite off the album. It’s got this slow Southern, country twang that reminds me of my childhood before it becomes a song that you could hear a room of cowboy boots thumping out a line dance to or a room of flower crown and knock off Doc Martens wearing hipsters jumping along to. Even as it slows down, it’s like watching the World Cup: you’ll only be satisfied once it’s completely done and you’ve watched it to the end.

The penultimate track “Alvarado” is another standout. The lyrics wind around in circles, touching on observations (“I hear restless girls playing hard to get with desperate boys”) and how lacking a human connection can eat at one’s sanity. “Breaking Down the Walls” rounds the album out nicely, posing the question to the listener- “if you don’t know me by now, do you even know me at all?” and leaving one content with what they’ve listened to.

Simple stands out in comparison to any other album that I’ve listened to recently. There’s clear influences from bands like The Beatles and, as stated, Muse and this macabre musical theater undertone coating each song. It’s commercial enough to be able to be played on radio but true to Nightmare and the Cat’s style and previous releases. Personally, Simple has found a spot high on my top ten releases of the year so far: it’s full of songs to dance to and songs to drive to and songs to feel something about. Let’s hope this album doesn’t stay undercover and it gets the attention it deserves.

Standout Tracks:

1. Mae

2. Alvarado

3. Undercover

Nightmare and the Cat: Facebook page | iTunes link