Bobcat - Bobcat

​Bobcat

Bobcat
​self-released; 2022

3.8 out of 5

By Dan Weston

Bobcat is a Long Island based one-man band playing a blend of power pop, garage rock and rockabilly. And when I say a one-man band this is no exaggeration. When the sole member plays shows, it  consists of a bass and snare drum at his foot, tambourine and shaker around his ankle, guitar in his hands and his vocals. There are some videos which I highly recommend  on his Facebook page which demonstrate his abilities. The artist released a fifteen-song album which he describes as a stomping garage rock, power pop and rockabilly record. There is undoubtably an Elvis Costello and Roy Orbison vibe to many of the songs.

Things get going with the more garage rock based “Smoke and Mirrors” but there’s also some vocal harmonies and other elements which make it feel like it combines with an aesthetic from the ’50s. It’s a fun, catchy and upbeat song that starts the album with a good amount of energy.

Some of that Roy Orbison flavor is on “Questioning My Sanity” and after this song I realized the artist excels at creating vocal harmonies on top of the lead. The '50s vibe feels authentic and pure. Great song.

“Things Have Changed” takes more from surf rock and a lot of the riffs here sound like something from Dick Dale. Some of the songs also reminded me of the style from The Beatles early on in their career.

“Far Past The Point” blends elements of rockabilly and surf into one of the highlights on the album. The groove is undeniably infectious and has some of the most memorable vocal melodies. I thought of the instrumental “Thoughts of Impending Doom” which is a unique take on surf and blues. 

There are a lot more songs as the album progresses but a number of them felt like highlights. The emotive “Lonely Sounds of Goodbye” hits all the right marks while “I Know What I Did” might be the fastest song on the album and also one of the more adrenaline inducing with more vocal harmonies.“Listen to Me, Baby” and the epic rock ballad “Things You're Not Supposed to Know” are back to back standouts. “I'll Be Gone,” “Fulfill My Destiny” and the closer “In The Mean Time” continue to solidify a signature sound. 

​The album is a clear tip of the hat to a prior generation. Bobcat has it down pat and seamlessly combines many different genres. I would say fans of the aforementioned should love this.

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