Catman Cohen
How I Want to Die
How I Want To Live
reviewed by Gary Levinson
No one would ever accuse Catman Cohen of not taking himself seriously enough. With his rather gravely named album “How I Want to Die” one could easily suspect that he would be the poster child for the The World The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (see: http://www.euthanasia.cc) or perhaps The Federation of Right To Die Societies (http://www.worldrtd.net).
Catman is actually nothing of the sort. He is a take-action-in-your-own-hands-for-a-positive-change-in-the-world kind of person. “How I Want to Die” is an ode to the people who keep the human infrastructure going and is dedicated to the service workers who risked, and in some cases lost, their lives in the 9/11 disaster. He would like to remake the cult of celebrity, found in present day society, into a cult of substantive heroes, ie. firefighters, police, nurses, paramedics, etc. Laudable stuff indeed.
Here are some quotes by Catman:
“We need to place velvet ropes around the hospitals, fire-stations, schools, soldiers barracks and police stations of this nation. People should line up in front of those buildings, begging for entrance, as though they were the hottest nightclubs in the nation. It should be a privilege…to receive an autograph from a nurse, fireman, soldier, teacher, or cop today. They are the heroes we need to reclaim desperately or we will perish in a society whose caretakers have become petty heiresses, porno muscle-heads, ball players, fame groupies, and aspiring entertainers”
“Prosperity is the glue that holds the nation together and God help America the stormy day it disappears, when scapegoats will rain from Heaven and minority will turn against majority in unrepressed rage”
“The hallmark of any dying empire is that they stop repairing the roads”
(on being a Canadian living in America:) “So far, I have not opted to become an American, not because of enormous cultural differences, but rather the inferior quality of chocolate bars sold in the USA.”
And what about the music? Well “How I Want to Die” is dour indeed (http://www.assistedsuicide.org). The poignant lyrics can be found in the booklets that accompany the CDs. The music, with its talented keyboard playing, makes a good background to Catman’s acquired-taste Serge Gainsbourg style vocals.
“How I Want To Live” is, dare I say, livelier, and a bit upbeat. It reminded me of some music from Gino Vannelli, some songs with sweet female voices, but again others with Catman’s Serge Gainsbourgh-like bullfrog vocals.
The themes are again rather serious with the main matter of this album being a forthcoming war over water.
I played it for a good friend of mine. After some listening, she exclaimed: “Wow! That’s really Indie!”
reviewed by Gary Levinson
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