LOS ANGELES, CA – Kitten fans are anxious for some new music from the Los Angeles power-pop rock band, and by October of this year, they’ll have plenty to celebrate when their upcoming EP Honeymoon Phase is released in October.
The band has been having some fun the past couple of months dropping a handful of covers over the past couple of months, but they finally dropped a new song (and an accompanying music video-the directorial debut of photographer Tsarina Merrin was shot at the band’s house in L.A) on August 16th: the reflective and undeniably catchy “Memphis“.
Of the song, Kitten front-woman, Chloe Chaidez says:
“‘Memphis’ came about after a year of touring, switching coasts back and forth, and solidifying the friendships in the band. It’s a song that questions the nature of home, and ultimately determines that it’s the people you love who give a place meaning.”
On Friday, August 23rd at Vocal, the band decided to let loose and celebrate the occasion with a wonderfully curated line up various musical acts, a short performance, friends and some of their loyal fans.
The first band that I got to experience on this evening was the four-piece, alternative rock band GENAU. They were quite a pleasant surprise.
In their Facebook profile, they describe themselves as “LA based Audio Pirates serving gratuitous vanity and the Noise You Need.” I’m not sure about the vanity part cause they each were all real humble when I chatted them up afterward, but they sure as heck have some damn good noise that I wanted.
As GENAU only have one single out on the interwebs, “Imisssex” which was released on July 10th, 2019, I am resigned to rely on my faulty memory to remember what it was that really piqued my fancy about this band.
Equal parts alt, punk, and grunge, adorned in fluorescent whimsy. The svelte and tall stature of their front-woman Victoria Sunshine who walked the emotional tightrope of vicious intensity and demure vulnerability. A real solid first impression.
Prior to his untimely death in 2018, noted musician Sam Mehran was working on a collaborative project with Marion Belle a/k/a “Fatal Jamz”. Almost a year after Sam’s passing, five of those collaborations were finished, mixed by Mehran friend and SSION collaborator Nick Weiss (Teengirl Fantasy), and released on August 16th, 2019 on an EP titled Marion Belle + Sam Mehran Present: Melt.
Marion has stated:
“It became important for me to finish it bc the songs are the story of our friendship and he is eternally alive in them. I know he is watching and I know he is with me.”
On this evening, Melt would have its debut performance.
The sonics expressed by Marion and company were lush and moody. It is a surprising departure from the noise rock that Mehran and his band Test Iclces released over a decade ago or the lo-fi psychedelia of Outer Limits Recordings’ repertoire. It was quite lovely. It was a soulful wave of alt-rock/new wave. Think if The Smiths, Sade, and Erasure had a love-child that was raised in the late 2000s. That’s the vibe I got.
Marion gave a strong, dramatic performance. The muscles in his midriff clearly tense and taught with every emotive belt he sang.
Of the music Marion has said:
“I think that our bond was profound because we both felt, after all we had each been through, we had been brought together for a reason. And that reason was to help each other to not give up. Sam lived and created in a different way. It was actual magic.”
Magic was made on this night.
If you don’t leave a Kitten show with a smile on your face and sweat on your brow, you’re probably missing a “fun” chromosome. Chloe Chaidez and company always … let me repeat that … always put on a fantastic show.
For this particular performance, they spent the day building the stage at the DIY venue in order to recreate visual elements of the “Memphis” music video. Not only did each band member wear an outfit that they could be seen wearing in the video, but they also built a replica roof to the side of the stage, which Chloe climbed on to sing from (perhaps you should click on the video link above if you haven’t already watched it by now).
It was a relatively short performance but from Blu’s slappin’ da bass to kick things off, to “Pink Champagne” to “Memphis” to a New Pornographer’s cover, to Chloe climbing the buildings structures falling into the loving arms of her friends and fans, it was a complete exhibition of self-contained capsule of everything I love about this band, and yet another reminder of why Iove seeing them perform live.
Odds are good that Kitten will be the states in support of their forthcoming EP, and I can’t wait to see them again. Maybe next time I’ll get a cleaner shot of Chloe flying in the air off of Rex’s drum kit.
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