The Fat Angel Sings

Cayetana – “Nervous Like Me” (Tiny Engines) – There’s a point where songwriting gets so specific, so personal and nuanced, that it all of a sudden transcends idiosyncracy and becomes universal. That’s what makes Cayetana’s debut LP “Nervous Like Me” such a winning record. Whether the experiences are her own, imagined or some combination of the two, frontwoman Augusta Koch tells lyrical stories you instantly relate to. Stories of emotional dependency and toxic friendships (“Serious Things are Stupid,” “Dirty Laundry”), of the beautiful transience of twentysomething life (“Scott Get The Van, I’m Moving,” “South Philly”), of discovering empowerment in solitude (“Madame B”). But it’s not just the subject matter that makes this a great album – it’s the hooks. These are some catchy-as-hell songs, most clocking in around or under three minutes; most moving at a brisk pace, propelled by Kelly Olsen’s aggressive drums and Allegra Anka’s wandering, New Order-ish bass counterpoints; most featuring endlessly sing-along-able passages. The title, Nervous Like Me, is also apt. Our contributing writer Bryne Yancey pointed that the album has a nervous energy undercurrent in the frenzied drumbeats and jagged guitars and Koch’s tender, quivering delivery. You can feel that tension, that uncertainty and fear, and in her words she spells out explicity why it exists. Even though you haven’t specifically been in the same place, you know how she feels, you can relate. And that is the power of strong, honest songwriting.