Sunday Music: Catbite Goes Pop!

Catbite, the lil Philly modern ska-tinged band founded in 2018, is finally embracing a level of pop that’s all smarts and no selling out.* For a small scene, sub genre band, this is a big deal. If you’re a small scene, sub genre creator, this post is for you (even if you’re not a Catbite fan yet).

Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s experience, but the band is finally drawing on ALL of their influences. It shows. It might mean they get a lot more popular. If they do, they deserve it. If they don’t, I’m betting it’s just a matter of time from here.

The band gave an interview on In Defense of Ska and got deep into everything from how Ashlee Simpson counts as much as the guitar player learning how to play “Jingle Bell Rock” and where those chords are in one of their songs.**

The maturity of realizing your favorite old stuff that you’re embarrassed about is still cool to you in some way… that’s sort of the entire point of Aaron Carnes defending ska, really.

All great work starts with accepting who we are, all the way down into the cracks between our flaws, and creating from a place of expressive one-ness with our freaky weird selves.

Catbite is figuring out how to do it. Listen to this first single, “Tired of Talk.” Magic. Super catchy, rooted in their sub-genre expression, and totally contemporary. They are owning their aesthetic, 100 percent, 360 degrees.

To my creative friends: what’s your jingle bell rock or Ashlee Simpson equivalent? I know part of mine is re-embracing my love for musical subgenres like this. Especially because, well, Philly, but also, doesn’t this make you want to dance?

Just in case, this “Everybody Talks” cover too - so good.

*not a Reel Big Fish joke, but not not a Reel Big Fish joke. Here’s my piece on selling out that might help you from a status perspective. And/or, here’s Reel Big Fish playing their song “Sell Out” because, why not? Never forget: Before Kendrick said to turn the TV off, RBF told us to turn the radio off.

**shoutout Aaron Carnes, prior Just Press Record guest and I reviewed his book here.