Album Review: Mr Cat & The Jackal - Sins And Siren Songs

A while ago my friend and I had a running joke that we'd like to be pirates - what's better than sitting around the whole day and drinking rum? Let me tell you, I came very close to living like a pirate when I popped Sins And Siren Songs into the CD player.

The first thing that impressed me about Mr Cat & The Jackal's Sins And Siren Songs is the super cool album packaging. When you open the cardboard cover, the album is embedded in a holder of cork and the visually stimulating lyrics booklet even contains a "notes" section. Pen(ny) for your thoughts?

Sins And Siren Songs opens with the instrumental Avarice and then comes to life with the cautionary and tango-like The Devil Always Wants To Dance. What's great about this album is that Mr Cat & The Jackal doesn't stick to just one genre; you'll find the bluesy Bad Man He Comin' and Succubus, the quirky and upbeat Mother Tongue and the ballad Where's My Shoes. Not to mention the use of various instruments including an accordion, a banjo and a saw (yes, indeed) adding to the depth of the album.

Sins And Siren Songs is complex in the way that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it became the soundtrack to my black and white daydream.

Highly recommended!

Rating: 8/10