(c) 2007 Doug Newman

Reviews: Doug Newman-The Cat Album by Kevin Crisp I've lived with cats all my life, and this charming DIY effort is the album I've been waiting for, though I didn't know it 'til now. Twenty-three songs, played adeptly on the acoustic guitar, with echoes of early solo Paul McCartney and Emitt Rhodes, make up the disc. Newman has a great concept here-writing songs about the trials and joys of living with felines. Moods range from comedy to the haunting vibe of, "Kitty Come Back", a genuinely moving and melodious song about the fear of losing the love of one's whiskered companion. On the album's opener, "Kitty Hairball", Newman expresses a thought that has often occurred to me in my life with felines: "Sometimes it seems that I'm somehow married/tho I don't even have a wife." Other topics near and dear to cat people are covered in "Ear Mites on the Run", the wistful and witty, "Kittens For Free" (which has a knockout melody) and the stirring "Free Kitty", which celebrates the independent nature of cat-hood. Newman's winning voice, sharp finger-style guitar picking and quirkily sincere songwriting give this album a true resonance. I'll enjoy listening to this CD for a long time to come. My cat Eubie likes it, too.