Kittens Ablaze

"Hilarious name aside, even PETA members should enjoy these Brooklynites." - New York Magazine-- Ehren Gresehover

"Grand and orchestral...well color me impressed!" - Molly Merken, Vice Magazine

Brooklyn's Kittens Ablaze (forget about the name for a second) write choruses that one can aptly describe as "rousing." When I listen to these successful six (and specifically the song "This Machine is Dying"), I definitely feel the desire to buy a bunch of whiskey shots for my friends, heartily intertwine arms, and sway the night away while lifting our glasses to the heavens, all for one and one for all. Now that's what I call rousing, especially since I never buy rounds.

So yeah, Kittens Ablaze are a really catchy band featuring the basic rock band set-up (guitars/bass/drums/synths), but they also rock lots of melodic merriment using a cello and a violin. And because of the string section and very sing-able songs, these four dudes and two ladies have often been compared to Ra Ra Riot (Cursive also seems to be mentioned a lot). But I bet Ra Ra Riot doesn't also rock a harmonica, now do they? Bust!

And hey, what's this? Vocalist Tim Spellman actually has a good, you know, voice? Well we've said it before and we'll say it again, a "singer" who can actually sing is a rarity these days, especially one who also has to worry about drumming, so it's nice when you hear one.

Yes, we said "rousing" to begin this profile of Kittens Ablaze, but I think it's perhaps more fitting to end with "joyful." Kittens Ablaze are rousingly joyful. You heard it here. - OhMyRockness

Kittens Ablaze's set at SXSW was one of the Top 5 I witnessed. That's saying something, considering I saw bands play for 6-8 hours a day for four straight days.

http://chanceencounterrecords.blogspot.com/2009/11/video-encounter-kittens-ablaze-this.html - Chance Encounter Records (L.A.)

Kittens Ablaze are a six-piece from Brooklyn and you should listen to them.

Having a great name for a band means you've got to back it up. But there are different ways you can do that. Sometimes it can be good if the name sounds like the music (Psychedelic Horseshit, played on recent shows, are a case in point) and sometimes it can be just great when the music sounds nothing like the name. You may or may not be reassured that Kittens Ablaze belong in the latter category. The last.fm profile describes them as indie-folk-dance, but that's nowhere near getting it right.

Kittens Ablaze, frankly, don't sound like a band who might set fire to your cat, but they're still great. Their Hot Litter EP (available for free download in its entirety on their myspace) is a marriage of the sweetly melodic and the engagingly gauche. That's got something to do with the cello and violin, but not everything. While opener "The Marriage of Digby and Iona"? has a psychedelic folkiness that provides a relatively relaxing entry into the intriguing world of KA, "Government Romance" rides a speeding fiddle through a realm that recalls Eggs at their best and goes bang into a guitar fuzz and at some point I should mention the drums, that underpin it all with such unseemly dexterity.

So by the time I got to "Strobelight" I was already hooked. And it upped the satisfaction levels a further notch to find myself listening to one of the tracks of the year so far, and the one I'm featuring in my April 2008 show."Strobelight"? has a rush and energy about it that brings all the things that make Kittens Ablaze potentially one of the finest bands to emerge so far this century into complete focus. And lines like "I'm missing all my limbs, but I'm double-jointed"? go some way towards identifying, but thankfully not resolving, that essential awkwardness that lies appealingly at the heart of what they do.

You can hear "Strobelight" on my April show on Dandelion Radio at:

www.dandelionradio.com - Dandelion Radio, UK

Drawing comparisons to Ra Ra Riot, Defiance Ohio, Arcade Fire, Cursive, and the Pixies can never be a bad thing. In fact it's working quite nicely for Brooklyn's Kittens Ablaze.

Kittens Ablaze is an emerging six-piece indie-punk garage band that features piano, cello, violin, bass, and guitar that circle a lead singer/drummer like paganistic sundanders at a bonfire.

Recently they were voted MTV U's band of the week, which you can check out here. They also had somewhat of a humorous mention by Mick Jones of the Clash in the New York Times. On top of everything else they are proud Obama supporters. For more information you can head over to their MySpace page. I think we will be hearing quite a bit frome these guys in the near future.

Kittens Ablaze - Strobelight (mp3)
Kittens Ablaze - This Machine is Dying (mp3) - Salad Days Music

Okay. How great (or at least amusing) is it that Kittens Ablaze titled their EP Hot Litter? Am I the only one who finds that totally hilarious? Anyhow, Kittens Ablaze is a band that calls Brooklyn, New York home and (well) their music is combustible! It is a manic clusterfuck of dance-punk-folk that sounds like what might happen if Defiance, Ohio moved to New York City and started gettin' busy in the club scene and also a little like Ra Ra Riot. Acoustic guitars ramble and roll, and as a mournful violin provides additional accompaniment. Hot Litter is a highly enjoyable and welcome addition to my collection (or yours) and (if you care) Kittens Ablaze was also recently named MTV U's band of the week. Killer.

MP3 | [listen] Kittens Ablaze - Government Romance Hot Litter EP
MP3 | [listen] Kittens Ablaze - Strobelight Hot Litter EP - Can You See The Sunset From The Southside

With a name like Kittens Ablaze, you'd probably imagine a death metal, animal hatting, group of musical delinquents. After all, that's what I thought when I read an email about the six-piece Brooklyn group a few weeks back. But as the pop punky, folk influenced opening chords of their song "The Machine is Dying"? started pouring from my speakers, I quickly realized that their name is easily the most and perhaps only frightful thing about Kittens Ablaze.

The sound of the Brooklyn indie rockers is almost as chaotic and confusing as their name. "Government Romance"? is a quirky, pop punk love ballad with a sound that one would expect if the Black Lips and Art Brut had a musical love child. On the other hand, "The Machine is Dying"? is a raw, Pogues-esque, call to arms.

But more than anything, Kittens Ablaze are a highly passionate, enormously energetic, and lyrically fun indie rock group, whose unique and raw sound alone separate them from most others coming out of Brooklyn these days. And luckily for them, their name should also help them draw some attention. After all, it caught Mick Jones' eye.

For those in New York, Kittens Ablaze have a few shows comming up in the area. For others, you can download most of their EP, Hot Litter, on their Myspace.

Check Out:
[listen] Government Romance
[listen] Strobelight - Consequence of Sound

So last week I had a brief stint in NYC between school and my departure for LA to work for 6 months and luckily I got a chance to go to a couple shows and have some down time to regain my sanity after finals. So one particular night (I believe it was Friday), a good friend of mine and I decide to do some bar hopping in downtown Manhattan and both quickly realized how quickly and unfortunately everything was turning for the worse. The bars were becoming incredibly crowded with douche bags, the drinks were going up in price, and you couldn't walk anywhere without feeling like you were in an amusement park.

So the more drinks I had, the more I decided to share my opinion with random strangers and the less sense I was making. Finally, as I was standing waiting in line for the bathroom (why are bars so crowded that you have to wait 15 minutes to use the fucking bathroom anyway?) I turn to the guy in front of me and go on an unfortunate rant along the lines of what I've written above, and thankfully, he completely related to my feelings of frustration. He did, though, inform me that there were places still to be hopeful for and luckily still music to hear.

As it turned out, this fine, optimistic gentleman, was none other than the piano player/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based ensemble Kittens Ablaze. Now if you've never heard of them, don't let the name lead you astray (especially if you're a fan of cats); the six-piece play music like it's meant to be played. Their raw energy and passion comes across in almost every song and leaves you with an overwhelming sense of urgency and excitement. With a sound similar to that of The Arcade Fire or Cursive and lyrics that are reminiscent of Why? and Silver Jews, the Brooklynites are definitely doing something right.

Kittens Ablaze - Strobelight (YSI)
Kittens Ablaze - Strobelight (zShare)

Kittens Ablaze - Government Romance (YSI)
Kittens Ablaze - Government Romance (zShare)

And if you're in the NYC area, make sure to catch them live on April 4th and/or April 12th. - Panda Toes --Dan Kagan

For full article of our run in with Mick Jones, go here:
ttp://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/fashion/23nite.html?ex=1355979600&en=aa6ce1b3e95e3007&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

What the times doesn't report is the 3 hours of debauchery that followed with Mick Jones in the lead. Fantastic. - Mick Jones of The Clash as reported by The New York Times