Alpha Cat’s new music aims for loving-yourself melodrama with each passing second shaped by circumstances of time and introspection. Amid the layered arrangements and slick songwriting she explores electric guitar sounds and more ambitious production techniques, to positive results. The second single off her current album Thatched Roof Glass House, “Mockingbird” allows the singer to offer a self-contained mix of alternative/folk rock that’s far more evocative than the few words she sings.
The song’s real triumph is in its lush melodies, strands that wind and splay like a carpet of vines. Everything sounds tighter, clearer, and at times brighter. But’s it’s also the lyrics which show Alpha Cat’s affinity for allowing the space between thoughts to germinate, until a molehill-sized musing becomes an impenetrable, towering glacier. She finds herself reflecting on mistakes and forgiving herself on her shortcomings and embarks on a journey towards self-discovery and self-love.
On the way, she surprises herself with things she never realized before. She gives herself a break from time to time, learning to trust herself and her own instincts. Through her song, Alpha Cat makes you feel that you are absolutely the most important person in your entire universe. You might just be another person when it comes to the grand scheme of things, but when it comes to your understanding of reality, you are the only thing that matters.
“Mockingbird” begins innocently enough with heavily reverbed vocals and larger-than-life guitar lines that provide enough flourishes to drown out any attempt at restraint. Then a buzz of drums take on an almost self-consciously gritty streak, making for a colorful display of the singer’s profoundly delicate production. The song itself was recorded with the help of Fred Smith (Blondie and the band Television), guitarist Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, John Mayer), Reggie McBride (Elton John) and Chris Butler (The Waitresses) on bass, Jason Harrison Smith (Albert Lee, Kelly Sweet, Ian Andersen), co-producer Jon Mattox and mastered by post-production legend Brett (Cosmo) Thorngren.
All of these inputs make for a comfortable fit. It’s a welcome jolt of calm energy, evidence that Alpha Cat need not sacrifice authenticity for enthusiasm with “Mockingbird.” It being her first release in more than a decade, the song elicits an almost mystic appeal. Some of us confuse self-love with endless positivity and endless optimism, but “Mocingbird” is all about allowing yourself to be honest with who you are. And it’s hard not to dream up lofty, folkloric imagery to accompany Alpha Cat’s gentle voice and be captivated by it.
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