Bau Cat Record 'Price of Life' Live: Three Musicians, Four Songs, No Overdubs

Welsh indie-rock trio Bau Cat recorded their entire new EP 'Price of Life' live, in single takes, with no overdubs. The four-song record is out now through Libertino.

The Prestatyn three-piece tracked the EP at Sheffield's Studio Tecna with producer David Glover, whose credits include Self Esteem, Sister Wives and Slow Club. Every song was performed together in one take, a method the band used to capture the spontaneous energy and musical chemistry that have made them a notable live act.

The EP features a double A-side: "Ordinary People" and "Conversations with America."

What do the songs sound like?

"Ordinary People" draws on the melodic warmth of The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul.' It explores the everyday experiences of working-class musicians trying to build a creative life, and combines humour, affection and melody into what the record's press materials describe as a "wonderfully personal character."

"Conversations with America" takes a broader perspective. Its driving basslines and adventurous guitar sounds recall The Cure, Blondie and R.E.M. Distorted megaphone vocals open the song with urgency before it widens into a hopeful celebration of human connection.

The remaining tracks, "Traposphere" and "Dr Doctor," complete a collection that moves between indie rock, new wave and guitar-driven pop.

The full track listing for 'Price of Life':

• Traposphere
• Conversations with America
• Dr Doctor
• Ordinary People

What does this change for the band?

Bau Cat have already played Green Man and Glastonbury's Toad Hall stage. BBC Introducing, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio 6 Music and KEXP have introduced their songs to new listeners. The new EP extends that reach with a record built on a deliberately stripped-back method.

That method is the story of the record. The little rhythmic variations, the natural movement between instruments and the excitement of capturing a performance in the moment all form part of its personality, according to the release announcing the EP.

Four songs recorded by three people who clearly enjoy making music together. The band have found something genuinely special in that simplicity, the release adds, and 'Price of Life' sounds all the better for it.

For a trio that built its reputation on stage, a live-in-the-room recording closes the gap between the concert and the record. 'Price of Life' documents the band at the moment of performance rather than in the polish of post-production.