Yorkshire’s self-styled, “radically soft-pop” band, Cat Apostrophe, formed back in 2016, originally as the solo project of Kirsty Fife, DIY-Archivist and former member of Suggested Friends and Actual Crimes. The band subsequently expanded to their current four-piece line-up, releasing a debut EP, The World Is Fucked, in 2017 and sharing stages with the likes of Martha, Porridge Radio and Soccer Mommy. Today we’re delighted to announce the band are releasing their debut album, Lifelong Amateurism at the start of July on Everything Sucks Music, and we’re premiering the first single from it, January.

Discussing the track, the band have suggested January is about, “trying to get through the sads at the start of a year whilst being surrounded by self improvement chat and diet culture at its worst”. So an obvious choice for a start of June release date! That said, hidden in the monthly theme is a wider comment on a national obsession with image, and the difficulty of navigating self-doubt when surrounded by our diet culture.

Musically, the track is a wonderful introduction to the upcoming record; as prominent bass-lines and almost militaristic drum-beats form the bed-rock, atop which guitar and vocal melodies dance. The track fuses gentle, almost muted verses with a howling wonder of a chorus, as the whole track shifts rapidly into top gear and the vocals become a passionate howl. As it slips out of the first chorus, the track reaches it’s beautiful subtle highlight, as the music pairs back to little more than the rhythm sections and Kirsty’s almost choral vocal chimes, “I am worth more than, they all tell me, I’ll be here when January comes next year”, before crashing back into the chorus.

Lifelong Amateurism is both album title and ethos to the band, as they explain, “the album is named after a phrase in a conversation between Eileen Myles and Cherry Styles, which refers to the experience of growing older with creativity without seeking to professionalise or become more technically able”. This is a band who seek not to dwell on mistakes, not worry what people think of their music, and do it for the sheer love of expression, and it’s all the more heartfelt and honest as a result.

Lifelong Amateurism is out July 19th via Everything Sucks Music and you can pre-order it now. Click HERE for more information on Cat Apostrophe.

The band play the following shows in support of the album, including a string of tour dates with Oxford-based queer pop dreamboats Jeff: 

26th July, *we made a record party* at CHUNK with Radisson Blu, Athabaska + more tbc (Leeds)

4th August, Pig Gig (all day fundraiser) at Pigs in the Wood sanctuary (Denby Dale) 

10th August, Hug and Pint with Damn Teeth and IDEAL (Glasgow) 

11th August, Safari Lounge with Damn Teeth (Edinburgh)

23rd August, Dubrek Lounge with Jeff (Derby)

24th August (daytime), Radio/On in store show with Jeff (Bristol)

24th August (evening), Hub Festival with Witching Waves, Jeff and Oh Peas (Cardiff)

25th August, The Library with Jeff (Oxford) 

26th August, DIY Space for London with Jeff (London)

27th August, TBC

28th August, Hatch with Jeff (Sheffield) 

31st August, Muma Moonshine festival (Cumbria)