Alternative Rock: Ian Cat - Baggage Claim/Purgatory Blues (2016)

72 / 100

A promising debut with solid production and familiar yet enjoyable vibes.

How exactly does one define musical similarity? Somehow, the small project Ian Cat manages to echo the minor band Autumn Lights and both remind me of Keane’s "Somewhere Only We Know" and The Click Five’s "Jenny". This is the first time I’ve dared to point it out, but the resemblance feels secured since Ian Cat also employs additional instruments like piano and tambourine, lol.

Baggage Claim/Purgatory Blues were Ian Cat’s debut singles, released in early 2016 under Salieri Records. The project was spearheaded by Ian Laczynski with Matt Jones on percussion, engineering, recording, and mixing, while Scott Craggs handled the mastering. The recording process took place around Massachusetts.

As mentioned above, "Baggage Claim" bears vocal similarities to Autumn Lights’ "Your Heartbeat," and the chorus lyrics unexpectedly made me laugh, like Ian was saying, “Don’t just bring your baggage, bring me too,” which sounds funny somehow. Meanwhile, "Purgatory Blues" blends alternative/indie rock with rock ’n’ roll/punk rock elements, resulting in a lively, groovy track. Ian’s voice and style here even faintly recall Green Day.

Even as a first effort, the production quality of Ian Cat already matches that of Autumn Lights. Definitely worth a spin for fans of The Click Five, and The Script, all the way to The Smiths.

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