“Tigercats are a very, very good band. The kind of band that make you want to be a teenager again, so they can be your band. They’re from London but their influences come from America: a splendid guitar busyness inherited from Television, a rhythmic restlessness from Violent Femmes and, from Blondie, an understanding that just because you’re a rock band, it doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to make people dance”.
So spake the esteemed Sunday Times on the album “Isle Of Dogs” from Tigercats. My take on them seeing them live in July for an Indietracks warm-up gig at The Castle in Manchester was “a joyous, edgy and cosmopolitan experience, blending hints of uplifting afro-pop to infectious indiepop goodness that touches on Talking Heads, Hefner and Los Campesinos”. And me and the Murdoch-owned broadsheet are not alone in loving the debut from the band formed by members of Esiotrot and Hexicon: check the long list of full-marks-possible excerpts from their press reviews on their website.
I challenge anyone who reads this fulsome praise or hears a Tigercats song not to be drawn in. The songs are as infectious as the enthusiasm of the reviews. Trust me.
Laura from the five-piece enthusiastically threw herself into the role of band spokesperson for her take on the last twelve months.
What I will remember most about 2012 is...
This year was amazing for us! We released our debut record and are so happy and grateful for the positive feedback we received. We did a lot of European tours this year, but our crazy 7 day whirlwind tour of Europe in April was pretty stand out. We played in a different city every night. We drove from Calais to Porto and back. Our car broke down. We missed a show. Jonny lost his wallet. We had a pizza party in a garage with some teenagers and broke up a Spanish family. It was a crazy time.
What should be forgotten about 2012…
Umm, a show we did where there were only 4 people watching and 3 of them were in the other band. And we also got a telling off.
The best gig we played was...
Indietracks! That was my favourite ever show. So many people, such a brilliant atmosphere and everyone was so happy and danced and oh wow it made me flustered.
The best gig I saw was...
Grizzly Bear at Brixton Academy. So, so amazingly perfect. Best show I think I've ever seen.
A record from 2012 that will be still be played in 10 years time?
“Shields” by Grizzly Bear. Incredible. Pretty sure I listen to it at least once a day.
Overlooked in 2012?
Fever Dream! They are good friends of ours and they deserve so much more attention because they are freakin' ace and we love them. Everyone go see them! RIGHT NOW!
And what can we look forward to in 2013 from Tigercats?
A new brand new record!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tigercats play Nottingham this Saturday. It may not be Indietracks but if you are ANYWHERE in the vicinity you should go. And more importantly if you haven’t got it already, get yourself a copy of “Isle Of Dogs”. The vinyl copy from Fika Recordings comes with “a bag of chaigercats tea and a recipe for chocolate cupcakes”. It’s only £10 – for one of your new favourite records.
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