Ghettoblaster Magazine reviews Toilet Rats’ Black Cats

Eddie Ugarte from Ghettoblaster Magazine reviewed Toilet Rats' Black Cats:

You ever have a moment where you think to yourself, “Is it me or is everything a reflection of the shit around us all?” These are the thoughts that populate on a regular basis the past year and a half as the world seemingly crashes around us. For some reason, independent music seems to be sparse, from my perspective, and the number of artists who should be releasing music has been dwindling. But then this week, it seems a change gonna come.

It’s no secret that I have an affinity for Minneapolis’ Toilet Rats, the “one-person operation conceived, performed, and maintained by Tommy Ratz” project. Why? Well, as far as this elusive character is concerned, no fucks seem to be given. It doesn’t matter what style is delivered – it’s all neatly wrapped in a synth/punk/pop manner – it comes straight from one source, and it comes straight from the heart. With his new Black Cats (Steadfast/Sweet Cheetah), it doesn’t change, and no matter what Ratz is singing about, volleying from a range of emotions, what comes to fruition is something intense. Both as a whole and with each individual track. While much of the release seems to be B-movie themed with song titles like “Vampirella,” “I Was A Teenage Exorcist,” and “Blood Suckers,” Ratz pulls some of the best melodies out for his songs. But nothing seems to hit harder – both physically and emotionally – as “Heart Emoji MPLS,” which is a reflection of what happened in Minneapolis. Here, Ratz literally rocks with a fervor and so intensely to get his distaste for what happened in his own beloved city. He puts to music what many independent artists haven’t, focusing on the darkness here, cutting through it with the light of his music. Dense guitars play against electronics, while the rhythm drives things directly off a cliff. Where it takes us all, that’s where we’re going.

I’m getting ahead of myself here though skipping over things that shouldn’t have been. The opening “Darkness” is smothered in keyboard washes, and pulls melodies from guitar notes. While the track itself may sound completely retrofied, it remains as contemporary as anything else around. At just over the two-minute mark, it’s just a brief look into Ratz’ mind. Then there’s “Crystal Lake (I Don’t Wanna Go To),” with its mechanical rhythm and a slinking melancholy throughout it. It’s brooding, sitting within a timbre of blackened gloom. But he does flip the script on “Shimmy,” which sounds like a bouncy little love song. I’m here for the repetitive rhythm, which was drawn to add colorful guitar and keyboard work on top of it when needed. You could never hate this song; instead, just dance around in your underwear like you’re a 15-year-old kid again in your bedroom.

With Black Cats, Toilet Rats place its collective footing one rung up on its own musical ladder. I say its own because there aren’t many that can stand up alongside Toilet Rats or this new album. That’s my word.