MP3 Cat Freshwater - Cat's Eyes
A crystalline voice welcomes the listener and invites him in to hear her moving lyrics, to laugh and giggle or cry real tears.
11 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Folk, FOLK: Folk Pop
Details:
Cat Freshwater has been a wife and mother, a sister and child, a book publisher, a building contractor, a domestic servant, a seller of used-cars, a buyer of used furniture, a rider of horses, a trapper of furs, a receptionist in Hollywood and in Helena, a world traveler, a receiver of food stamps, a couturiere of trap shooters, a telemarketer, a building designer, a construction engineer, a janitor, and other things she can''t recall or only reluctantly admits. And all the while she''s been exploring her world, she''s collected her observations and put them into songs. Her repertoire is varied because her life is rich, and she writes her songs with an infectious enthusiasm that resounds when she sings them.
REVIEW
Excerpted from HIPFISH, Vol. 2, Issue 14 (November, 1998)
by Dinah Urell
You''ve heard of the Incredible Lightness of Being? You''ll find it in Cat Freshwater,... and for the first time in her songwriting career, she is finally going to sing. Cat conveys the songwriting prowess of an Alex Dobkins, and her voice the edgy quality of Patsy Cline. Songwriters and singers make a personal statement--often concerning immediate issues. Cat has a grip on many issues. The freedom of her songs and her voice tells us so.
REVIEW: CAT''S EYES
by Phil Blanton
North Coast Citizen
December 22, 2000
"Who says you can''t do everything well? Cat Freshwater proves that old adage wrong with her new CD "Cat''s Eyes."
"Poet, songwriter, singer: she does it all, with an ease and grace that belie the fact it''s her first solo effort. You''ll find yourself singing along the first time you hear the 11 original songs, then going back, time and again, to enjoy Freshwater''s beautiful clear voice and catch the lyrical gems that may have slipped past you before. "Cat''s Eyes" contains mostly upbeat, up tempo tunes, plus a few romantic ballads; although jazz and country and even Latin influences abound, the songs don''t stray far from their acoustic, folksy roots.
"Kris Larson does a commendable job providing background accompaniment, on guitars and synthesizers, but his best work comes as arranger, allowing Freshwater''s expressive, fluid singing to carry the music forward.
"At times reminiscent of Natalie Merchant''s singing style, Freshwater''s vocals range from slightly husky to light and cleanly articulated, depending on the mood of the song.
"The one thing you won''t find on "Cat''s Eyes" is attitude: Freshwater has no time for cynicism, sarcasm and negative thinking, but instead infuses her music with a life-affirming, hopeful approach. The opener "Want Me Bad," for example, seems to be about a bar room pickup, at first, but turns into a testimony of monogamy and marriage; likewise "Do Drop In" describes the "well of despair" and the pointlessness of self-pity, while "Behold God" and "So Many Ways" remind us of the beauty and wonder that surround us everyday. Even the hard luck love song "Don''t Be Mine" turns up a positive moral ("But I can''t cry because my heart is happy/because I know I''m all I need to keep on keeping on").
"While Freshwater''s message is positive and uplifting, it''s never mawkish or Pollyannaish. Rather the picture that emerges is of an intelligent, mature, insightful person who assimilates her experiences, extracts the positive value, and moves on with life. Of course, she also shares those experiences and values through her poetry and music.
"And that''s lucky for us."