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the cat Mary : Postbellum Neighborhood
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"Kitchen-Sink Americana": we humans are omnivores, no reason that shouldn't go for what we put in our ears, the same as in our mouths--country blues, ragtime, modern jazz, progressive acoustic music, songcraft, it all gets thrown in the same good stew.
Genre: Country: Country Blues
Release Date: 2006
Postbellum Neighborhood
the cat Mary
Record Label: Swampland
  • Download Album (MP3) - $9.99

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Preview Song Name Time Buy
1. A River, a Dead Mule, a Train.... 6:01 + MP3 $0.99
2. Old Slewfoot 3:50 + MP3 $0.99
3. The Big, Dumb Way 3:54 + MP3 $0.99
4. Step By Step 3:46 + MP3 $0.99
5. The Fleshpots of the Orient 1:11 + MP3 $0.99
6. Happy Middle 4:12 + MP3 $0.99
7. His Lady, Apparently, Came Around 4:53 + MP3 $0.99
8. Blue Yodel #8 (muleskinner Blues) 4:59 + MP3 $0.99
9. Shouting At the Sun 3:38 + MP3 $0.99
10. Filipino Box Spring Hog 3:14 + MP3 $0.99
11. Anniperversary 5:06 + MP3 $0.99
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Album Notes

Instrumentation
Andrew Markham--guitars, mandolin, banjo, vocals
Ken Dow--upright bass, vocals
Stephen Snyder--piano, organ, vocals
Melissa Harley--fiddle
Kevin Dow--percussion

Biography
The Cat Mary is an inadvertently not-for-profit institution, comprised of anywhere from 5 to 7 members, depending on the whims of fate, and we play original music which is equal parts ragtime ephemeralist (thanks Chris Ware!), country blue underthings, post-blah blah jazz, 20th Century cereal music, and good old American song carpentry.

When you are not paying attention, we will break out an old chestnut and denature it unto unrecognizability, at which point your attention will drift stage or speakerward, and if we have done our job, you will be confused, though pleasantly so; a confusion similar to that which one experiences when a loved one has rearranged the furniture, but subtly, artfully, so that you don't mind so much, and indeed find the new arrangement somehow a more organic and inevitable solution to the problem of space. (This is in no wise to imply that there is some sort of Musical Feng Shui taking place in the work of The Cat Mary--that would be a load of hooey.)

In closing: you may not presently be interested in The Cat Mary, but rest assured, The Cat Mary is interested in you. In this sense, and in this sense only, The Cat Mary is a bit like politics. In every other sense, The Cat Mary is, as the kids these days like to say, "all about the music". And while we look forward to the day when the people who ushered in the expression, "all about the ___", will be rounded up and electrodes applied enthusiastically to their erogenous zones, in the interim, we will adapt to the times as best as we can (which is usually not very well, we concede). Our efforts to recruit fellow travelers--especially our brethren in the brightly colored shorts, jaunty sun visors, and a Fodor's in their hand--have brought us here. Peace.



Discography
"Her High, Lonesome Days"--OMG
"No Unwanted or Unfamiliar Passages"--Wayward Music
"Postbellum Neighborhood"--Swampland Media

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REVIEWS

Postbellum Neighborhood
author: Ed Behan
                            
The saga of how we found out about The CAt Mary is kind of comical. Never heard them on the radio, my wife actually grabbed them from a discount bin in some media store in NE Arkansas many years ago. That was "Her High Lonesome Days," and we have been charmed by it ever since. It took me a while to figure out that one can use the internet to look for obscure, eccentric, independent musicians and their works. Go figure. Their cover songs are deftly done, putting a unique spin on each one. Mr. Markham's psychobabble stream-of-consciousness stuff is also amazing. And the addition of the young lady on violin is welcome. Look forward to more. Hope they make it into my area on tour. Have to ask. Is the middle available anywhere? Keep up the good work, guys!

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title?
author: dana westover
                            
I'm generally in agreement with the above writer - a 5 star CD in a 1 star world. Bloody difficult to make old stuff into something organically decent  (I've heard many try and fail apallingly), and Andrew's own writing is wonderfully literate. I look forward to more.

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Fun!
author: Jenn
                            
I liked the CD so much I just bought another for my boyfriend.  Very nice mix of tunes - smooth melodies and groovy jams.  Highly recommend!

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unique songs and music keep you listening
author: Peter Scheffler
                            
The long-term bluegrass fan would look at the song list and recognize a couple of titles, but do not be misled--this is not a bluegrass album.  Jazz, maybe.  But regardless of the category, it is terrific.  Top-notch musicians play innovative arrangements of the old standards and unique originals.  Rhythms shift, there are lots of odd minor keys, volumes go from quiet solos to blasting full-group playing.  The song titles and lyrics are witty to go along with the unusual music.  You can tell these are seasoned professionals who have a vision of that they want to do and how to do it.  With some music you can predict what's coming, but that's not so here.

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