A Conversation with Our Cat Philip

I have been searching my mind to try and find words to describe the sound of Our Cat Philip, a Columbus, Ohio based band. Nick Held, the source of drums/keyboards/vocals, says the band’s favorite definition of their sound is “kindergarten rock”, which is a perfect description of their sound. They just released their first album, “Apart of Someone” in August, and I highly recommend that you download it from their site. I got the chance to talk to Nick and ask him a few questions about the band. Our Cat Philip met at Ohio State University and is made up of Max Sollisch, Jeremy Hendricks, Nick Held, and Emily Ng. As for musical influences, Nick says, “Our music is a byproduct of our musical backgrounds.” Their collective influence is Yo La Tengo, while Max is influenced more in a lyrical sense and he notes Elliot Smith and Conor Oberst as his main influences. Jeremy is influenced by Grandaddy. As for their sound, Nick says, “There are really emotional lyrics and we put this poppy, folky sound behind them.” He also notes, “We are excited to have an emotional response to our music.”

Also, Nick lists the band Couch Forts as one of their favorites to play with in Columbus. “The music scene here is very, very helpful, and is a very close knit community,” Nick says when I asked about the Columbus music scene. Also, one important aspect of Our Cat Philip’s sound is that they do not use electric guitars or even a bass, because the cello takes the place of the bass. Nick says they do not want to limit themselves to one certain instrument. As for most memorable show, Nick said, “The first time we played with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. It was such a phenomenal night.” They are currently playing a few shows around Ohio, but they also are all busy with school. Next summer, Nick says, “We hope to go on an extensive tour supporting a national act.” So, download their album, go see a show, and you will love this band as much as I do.

www.myspace.com/ourcatphilip

http://www.ourcatphilip.net/