“Manager” is a new song from west coast indie group Cat Valley. It will be featured on the Feral album releasing on November 12th.
Cat Valley is a rarity. Four women; four very talented musicians. Whitney Flynn and Abby Hegge, long-time friends, provide guitar and vocals tracks. Kristen Stanovich excels on bass as does Melanie Sehman on drums. Stanovich’s bass lines are punchy no doubt and really carry “Manager” with Sehman’s marching drums. This pairing is, of course, the backbone of every great rock band.
The popularity of all-female rock bands exploded with groups like the Runaways in the late 70’s, and based on what I’ve heard from Cat Valley, I hope the trend is growing again. Cat Valley is not your cliché girl group, as they seek to redefine what it means to be one. Their music contains strong messages, and their image is tough. Aside from the lyrics, on the songwriting front, they are not revolutionaries but upholders of tradition.
The paired vocals make the song feel like a duet, the same goes for the guitars. Its pretty rare that two lead singers simultaneously serve as two lead guitarists. They never compete or overtake which is impressive considering the nature of lead guitar striving to be centerstage. I suppose there is enough room on the stage for two.
According to the official Cat Valley SoundCloud page, “Feral highlights how the members have grown-up as songwriters and musicians since the group’s formation in 2016. Indeed, this is very accurate. Evidence as to how the group has matured is clear when comparing their self-titled debut album from 2019 with the first two singles off the forthcoming Feral: “Dive Bar Fight Song” and “Manager.”
Cat Valley (2019) was a punk album. It was rebellious and aggressive. “Manager” is rebellious to a degree but certainly not aggressive. It approaches its subject matter in a more elegant way, a more mature approach.
When I first heard “Manager,” I didn’t know what to make of it. After several listens I grew to be quite fond of it. I really love how it marches along in an unrelenting way, which fits with its anti-oppression message. That is my interpretation of the song at least. Certainly, there is a sense of displeasure with male dominance. “For the world of men” is repeated in the chorus. The lyrics paint a broader picture of disposing social norms.
It has become increasingly hard to find this style of rock music. Not that there isn’t enough of it being written, there certainly is. The problem is accessibility. I never hear songs like “Manager” on the radio. Which, despite what the 21st century might have you believe, is still the place where most people discover new music. It is indie which by nature is niche.
Whilst I was trying to form my opinion of this song, I found myself asking a very specific set of questions which enlightened me. Does “Manager” rewrite the rock playbook? No. Is it trying to? No. Does “Manager” exemplify great modern rock? Yes. Is that enough? Absolutely.
