Review by Dave Simpson
Times are pretty damn good for Russian prog
rock ensemble Cats Park right now. In the last
year, the St. Petersburg natives have enjoyed
playing live to legions of loyal fans on their
home turf, as well as having been invited back
twice to Liverpool’s Sound City. They’ve also
recently graced the pages of Rolling Stone and
are hard at work securing a deal to feature their
music in a movie stateside. If that’s not
enough, then the icing on the cake has to be
landing Grammy nominations in a total of
three different categories.
It isn’t hard to see why they’ve been
attracting so much attention once you’ve heard
their album, A Taste of Heaven. This nine track
behemoth is loaded with immense meandering
rock epics that invade and take over the senses.
The proceedings rumble off with a heavy
bass line and otherworldly electronics as “In
Between” begins. An operatic melody evolves
through dark and sinister instruments, lending
the piece a psychedelic ambience. “In My
Room” follows up with airy synths and
mellow guitars. A free-flowing ethereal
harmony establishes a dreamy, transcendent
vibe that’s calm and relaxing.
“Back to Heaven” strides off determinedly
atop a steadily paced riff bearing more of a
straightforward rock sound. Its absorbing
vocals and captivating chorus afford the track
a smooth, easy listening quality. This passes
the reins over to “When Someone Loves You”
for frantic drums and dire guitars. The urgency
of the instrumentation is defied by the vocals,
which take their time and unfold gradually.
A slow purposeful beat and melody strut
along nonchalantly during “Precious Days”,
before “Prisoners of Heartbeat” hits with
3.0
foreboding electronics amid a myriad of sound
effects and passionate vocals. “Thin Skinned”
arrives next, featuring a hectic yet hushed
rhythm and proving itself to be another
ominous, atmospheric addition.
“Plastic World” is a bit of a departure from
its predecessors, flaunting an upbeat, rousing
riff and an exuberant harmony. The curtain
closes then with “I Can’t Wait”. Resolute
instrumentation plays out alongside emotional
vocals, creating an optimistic air. It serves as
a warm and pleasant finale.
The ambitious approach Cats Park take to
song writing results in a grand sound that’s
very progressive. The material featured on A
Taste of Heaven is quite abstract and
cinematic. It’s an album worth sampling,
particularly if you like your music to exhibit a
flair for the theatrical.
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