Catfight - In Stereo
Catfight
In Stereo
Self-Released; 2008
How lo(-fi) can you really go? After a decade full of groups of various descriptions seeking to reclaim the dirty, gritty, mono sounds of ‘60s garage rock, methinks we might have reached a tipping point of Gladwellian proportions. This is by no means a concession to or request for hyper-slick modern pop production values (the “autotune” function comes straight from Hades), but more of a clarion call directed towards bands like Catfight who admirably wish to help music fans rediscover retro production aesthetics – we’d like some balance please, since not all technology is bad. For you see, as enjoyable as the coarse tones of this duo’s five-song EP In Stereo might appear to be, they have only added to a marketplace for sonic revivalism that’s more than over-saturated. We’ve simply heard this all before, from “Get It On” (The White Stripes), “Alone Today” (The Yeah Yeah Yeahs), and “Candy Cane” (The Hives), to “Ready Steady Go” and ”Sheila” (Franz Ferdinand). Has the band put together some upbeat, catchy, fun songs? Absolutely. Alas, they’re not really all that original.
