THE OUT CATS, Antartica’s 5th installment, gets glowing reviews
“In a handful of minutes, Soucy unleashes a sonic menagerie where each instrument seems to free itself from its expected role. The sinuous and groovy bass lines recall those of Jaco Pastorius or Tony Levin, while the drums improvise syncopated breaths à la Mahavishnu Orchestra. The keyboards flirt with the absurd, injecting art rock colors that evoke the most playful wanderings of Frank Zappa or Gentle Giant.
This piece, both erudite and relaxed, proves that the Boston composer, known for his STIR film series , has lost none of his ability to surprise where you least expect it.” — Extravafrench June 16 2025
“…funk grooves twist around jazz-like structures, synths stab with an 80s horror vibe…by the time the piano takes center stage in the middle of the song, you’re deep in Soucy’s world — and it’s a wild place.” — Edgar Allen Poets June 13 2025
“While we usually focus on Soucy’s original records (like ‘Montana’, for instance), the American virtuoso has also been feeling nostalgic, discovering tracks from the progressive group he used to play with as a young man.
Named ‘Antarctica’, such a project now gets a fair bit of attention, with a series of releases that pay homage to their nearly forgotten catalogue. Jeff Carano on bass and Ray Lavigne on drums accompany Soucy on this meaningful journey. ‘The Out Cats’ is the latest release from the Antarctiva archives, and it’s a striking slice of 70s-esque progressive rock. Wholesome and very loyal to its historical value, the piece is laden with retro organs, eclectic drums and neoclassical motifs.
‘The Out Cats’ follows up from ‘No This Isn’t Jazz Either’, a quirky, unique and inventive piece blurring the lines between jazz and progressive. Overall, Antarctica reveal themselves as a gifted, bold outfit, one that still has what it takes to impress listeners worldwide.” — Mesmerized June 14 2025
THE OUT CATS by Marc Soucy, played by the “cats” in Antartica: Ray Lavigne & Jeff Carano
Another potential cover for this single, in the end the “gold bars” graphic won the contest :)
