microindie (US) / Fortuna Pop! (UK)
Bearsuit have a lot stacked against them,so it's surprising that Cat Spectacularmanages to succeed when it is so tempting to simply call them twee-popopportunists and move on. Part of what makes Bearsuit's debut album soenjoyable is easily summed up in the 2:57 of "Cookie Oh Jesus," whereloud, fuzzy guitars and drums take the stage only to be whisked asideby shaky trumpets, insistent tambourines, and the intertwiningmale-female vocals of Iain Ross and Lisa Horton. It's a sugar rush thatdoesn't induce tummy aches or diabetes. Elsewhere, the band let thetempos and the noise slacken, such as on the awkward shuffle of"Cherryade" and "On Your Special Day," a song about life after themachines have turned on their masters that contains the best vocalperformance from Horton who wonders "Why, why are the machines sosad?/Why must they exact such terrible revenge upon the small?" on topof Ross' yearning voice and a bed of gently plucked guitars andrecorders. Bearsuit are not poised to break any new sonic ground to besure, but that hardly matters. They have enthusiasm and charm, andwhile they have a few checks they need to write for Boyracer, Henry'sDress, and Unrest, Cat Spectacular manages to be exactly what it should be for its 29 minute duration: a fun, noisy pop record.
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