'Blessed Through The TV' is the fifth single from Newcastle based art/rock trio Cat Ryan and I have to say, I love the uniqueness of this song.
Their genuinely-alternative sound brings to mind contemporaries such as Wolf Alice, The Japanese House and Youth Sector but comparisons are just opinions; and Cat Ryan definitely have their own unique identity.
Drawing from eclectic influences, I love how 'Blessed Through The Tv' has a traditional far eastern sound, mixed with what sounds like a Bossa Nova beat and when you add Mary-Anne's vocals, you get something so unique it almost defies classification! Honestly it took me a few listens to get my head around it, but that's only because it's a new vibe to me. The more I've listened to this track the more I love it!
“The track deals with the theme of half-heartedness; the limbo between abandonment and commitment. Lyrically the song is packed with metaphors exploring this whilst referring to the original inspiration: being sent an angel figurine (the one that features on the single artwork) from my aunt. The Pope had done a mass blessing through the television, telling people to hold items up to the tv to be blessed. It didn’t quite make sense to me; it was almost a half-hearted blessing, and this sparked the ideas behind the song” explained Mary-Anne, singer/lyricist and multi-instrumentalist.
If anything the story behind the song’s origins exemplifies how the band draws inspiration from more abstract sources, than traditional songwriters. Whilst I love songs that are relatable, it's a real skill to be able to write something that challenges your perceptions of life and what music is really about.
With 'Blessed Through The TV' Cat Ryan have challenged this writers own perceptions of music, song writing and how we draw influence from others - for that reason I love this track and this band.
9/10 - Far out!
Cat Ryan
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