Ben Salter’s debut album The Cat is out on August 5th, and it’s already receiving critical acclaim, with early reviews declaring it one of the most exciting releases of 2011 thus far:
“It is an album to remember: These 12 solidly-constructed songs are asking to be compared to the recent crop of solo albums from established Australian rock artists: Gareth Liddiard’s Strange Tourist, Mike Noga’s The Balladeer Hunter, Glenn Richards’ Glimjack. It speaks volumes about Salter’s talents that The Cat not only keeps up with these illustrious peers, but that it also often betters them.” – Rave Magazine, Brisbane
Best known as a founding member of numerous well known Australian ensembles including The Gin Club, Giants of Science and The Wilson Pickers, Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Ben Salter has also been a solo performer in his own right for over ten years. Salter has played throughout Australia as well as in Europe, Canada and the US. The Cat is his first solo album.
Recorded and produced with Gareth Liddiard and Robert F. Cranny at Liddiard’s rural studio in Havilah, Victoria, The Cat is easily the most assured work of Salter’s career. Whilst comparisons to his other work is inevitable, The Cat is truly its own beast: an intoxicating blend of avant-garde pop, rock and folk that is at once conventional and defiantly odd.
The Cat covers an extraordinary amount of musical terrain over the course of its twelve songs, the layers of sounds and textures giving the songs a depth that far transcends the already considerable beauty of the compositions themselves.
The Cat features Gin Club alumni Gus Agars and Ola Karlsson on drums and bass respectively, while Salter’s quest for the sound of “organized chaos” led him to employ the talents of legendary Melbourne jazz saxophonist Julien Wilson, multi-instrumentalist Peter Novotnik, and guitar stylists par excellence Joel Silbersher and Tom Lyncolgn, and pianist to the stars Steve Hesketh.
The result is one of the most unique Australian rock albums in recent memory.
Be sure to go and see Ben Salter and his band as they take The Cat live across Australia this September.
The Cat will be in store August 5th independently through MGM distribution.
Ben Salter – The Cat National Tour Dates
Thurs 1st September
The Bird
Perth,WA
181 William Street, Northbridge
Tickets $10 on the door
www.williamstreetbird.com
Friday 2nd September
Norfolk Basement
Fremantle, WA
47 South Terrace, Fremantle
Tickets $15 on the door
www.norfolkhotel.com.au
Saturday 3rd September
The Wheatsheaf
Adelaide, SA
39 George Street, Thebarton
Tickets $15 on the door
www.wheatsheafhotel.com.au
Wednesday 7th September
Black Bear Lodge
Brisbane, QLD
322 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
Big Sound Showcase www.bigsound.org.au
Tickets from Big Sound website
Friday 9th September
The Vanguard
Sydney, NSW
42 King Street, Newtown
www.thevanguard.com.au
Tickets $15 + BF from thevanguard.com.au
Thursday 15th September
Karova Lounge
Ballarat, VIC
15 Field Street, Ballarat Central
www.karovalounge.com
Tickets $15 + BF from New Generation, Karova Lounge & Oztix
Friday 16th September
Northcote Social Club
Melbourne, VIC
301 High Street, Northcote
www. northcotesocialclub.com
Tickets $15 + BF from northcotesocialclub.com
Saturday 17th September
Brisbane Hotel
Hobart, TAS
3 Brisbane Street, Hobart
www.myspace.com/thebrisbanehotel
Tickets $15 on the door
Thursday 22nd September
Sol Bar
Maroochydore, QLD
19 Ocean Street, Maroochydore
www.solbar.com.au
Tickets $10 on the door
Friday 23rd September
The Zoo
Brisbane, QLD
711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
www.thezoo.com.au
Tickets $15 + BF from thezoo.com.au
Saturday 24th September
The Spotted Cow
Toowomba, QLD
Cnr Ruthven and Campbell Sts, Toowomba
www.spottedcow.com.au
Tickets $10 on the door
