The last 6 months have seen Luvcat seemingly blow up out of nowhere. Partially true, it’s taken the alter ego of the Liverpudlian singer songwriter formerly known as Sophie Morgan, a lifetime of honing her craft to reach this point with this stunning debut.
It’s no coincidence the release was timed for Halloween; Luvcat paints in many shades of emotion but it’s undeniably dark, carnal and there’s blood stains on the walls. Vicious Delicious will bring your listening space to life by plunging you into the ghostly world of a late night speak easy, and once you’ve fanned away the smoke from your eyes you’ll realise this is no glitzy Gatsby experience; it’s a rambunctious cabaret show where the characters centre stage morph from outrageously brash and glamorous to up close and personal with a seamless ease. It’s thrown together in a DIY aesthetic consisting of various gothic and leopard print outfits, dark red lipstick, a cigarette, glass of red wine, complimented with a haunting piano lick. The band are in suits, Luvcat wears a dress.
The lyrics are laced with eloquent cultural and literary references that provide a sense of intimacy, vulnerability and the honesty of a diary entry. It’s got melodies that are loaded with infectious contagious ear worms that you’ll find yourself humming wherever you go. The instrumentation supporting the rich lyrical scenes blends genres in a suitably unique way; glam soaked alternative rock, indie, jazz, romantic rock and dark pop are all mixed up. The musical standard is consistently high across the board, the album tracks are generally as strong as the singles.
The song that started it all for Luvcat on TikTok, Matador is a brilliant metaphor for a toxic relationship that highlights her talent at articulating emotional rawness and clever wordplay, tied up in a catchy triplet melody. The expertly presented murder ballad He’s My Man describes the descent into psychosis of a housewife who is slowly poisoning her husband with arsenic to the soundtrack of searing violins and gentile guitars. The 1st Anniversary Edition reworking of this track that features the wonderful Dr. John Cooper Clark as the “almost corpse” husband is sadly absent from this collection but you can find the glorious delirious music video featuring the happy couple on various streaming platforms.
The title track’s appealing hook and anthemic chorus combined with the hedonistic subject matter have all the ingredients for a fantastic Bond movie theme. Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel is one of many fine examples of Luvcat’s mastery at setting the scene as she leads us through the exciting night life of a bustling Soho venue. Love and Money and Blushing on the other hand are whimsical romantic fantasies that encapsulate the idealism of fresh love. Laurie takes us on a nostalgic trip to her folk roots where one can only hope that no one gets run over…
The scope is expansive for a debut; one moment you’re lost in the fever of a teenage romance, the next you’re in the depths of the death throws of a slow murder. It’s all written and performed with a subtle emotional intensity that is personified by Morgan with a strong level of conviction which makes it a very authentic listen.
Vicious Delicious is a formidable addition to a year that’s already full of big achievements for Luvcat. It sits next to supporting acts like Sabrina Carpenter and Yungblud, various other shows on the festival circuit and recent photoshoot with Playboy. Whatever Luvcat decides to do next, you can guarantee she’s one to watch and she’ll continue to turn heads wherever she goes.
This release is definitely worth a listen. If you want to make it sound even better get in touch with your local branch who will be happy to help you improve your sound system.
Author: Dan, Kingston Store
