Chris Forsyth & the Paranoid Cat Band Live on WFMU
In anticipation of his new album Paranoid Cat on Family Vineyard guitar player Chris Forsyth brought down a version of his band to play live on WFMU–Mike Pride (drums), Peter Kerlin (bass), Don Bruno (organ), Hans Chew (piano). I was smitten with Chris’s previous LP Dreams on his own Evolving Ear label, and Paranoid Cat seems to pick up where that album left off. Dreams struck me as a deeply personal album referencing the guitar’s abundance. That album’s girders–repetition, cerebral riffs, psychedelic wobble and impressive guest contributions–are all evident onParanoid Cat.
Chris’s songs seem to pull from a range of sources–post rock, American primitive, avant blues and psychedelia–but what’s clear is a simplicity of form and grasp of narrative. The guitar playing recalls Tetuzi Akiyama’s repetitive blooze churn and classic Tom Verlaine/Richard Lloyd zigzag. The cohesive regular band is what elevates Paranoid Cat to some other plane. The band kills these jams. It’s the kind of band that could turn into your favorite band. The soundtrack to your life.