Released January 3, 2014

"If you only tuned in to this Melbourne songwriter for his bruised, heart-on-sleeve 2013 solo set, Closing Time At Yah Yah’s, you had better hang onto your hat. Out go the acoustic guitar and self-analysis, in comes soaring guitars, banks of harmonies and rocking, up-beat treats. Those who have kept their eye on Batterham since his ’90s band, The Earthmen, will be delighted to hear him with electric guitar plugged in with a set of tunes bristling with energy. If Closing Time at Yah Yah’s was kicking over the embers of a failed relationship at 3am on a Sunday morning, Lucky Cat is hitting the town on Friday night with a weekend of fun ahead.

Lonely Boys of Brunswick is bright, uplifting, with daffy orchestral samples emphasising the sense of fun which seems to be the prime influence at work here. The title tune is equally heartwarming, with cheery use synthesisers and robo-rhythms from the drum machine. Lights Go Out also burbles along with a bass groove which suggests Batterham has spent as much time shaking a hip to Prince as he has soaking up those Beatles, Beach Boys and Byrds records which are usually the starting point for this type of songwriting. It is also catchy as hell. Bridesmaid Blues plays more like one of the philosophical tracks from Closing Time but also explodes into the kind of melodic bliss bomb of which Neil Finn is a master.

But it’s the bouncy pop-rock tracks which are the foundation here, the soaring-into-the-sun feel of Get Away With It This Time, the massed guitars of Fighter, the swooning melody and gritty guitars of Liar or the sweet pop refrain of What Are You Waiting For. The track you must hear first is Make It Through This Long, another beauty to add to your play-in-the-car selection of Australian power pop alongside your faves from the Sunnyboys, Stems, Even, You Am I, Icrecream Hands, Someloves, Ups and Downs, Hoodoo Gurus etc.

Two albums, very different, equally good, released six months apart: Batterham’s on fire!" - 4 Stars - Noel Mengel, Courier Mail

Written and recorded by Nick Batterham with guest performers:- Craig Mitchell, Nick Murray, Jethro Woodward, Hamish Cowan, Andrew Batterham, Carlo Barbaro. Mastered by Adam Dempsey at Deluxe Mastering