Pussy Cats

During John Lennon's separation from Yoko Ono in the mid-'70s, he infamously palled around L.A. with Harry Nilsson. Amidst the drinking and carousing, the two did go into the studio, where Lennon acted as producer. What emerged was PUSSY CATS, an album that was met with some confusion at the time of its initial release. The set features a mix of rock & roll oldies, Nilsson originals, and covers of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross". more...

In the years since its release, PUSSY CATS has aged gracefully. It's a wholly committed series of performances by Nilsson, whose skills as a vocal interpreter were often overshadowed by his own songwriting prowess. It's also a warmly rendered portrait of good times in the recording studio, spontaneity, and friendship. Nilsson and Lennon's usual session crew are on hand, including Klaus Voorman, Ringo Starr, and Jesse Ed Davis. Delightful bonus tracks include three by Nilsson: "Down by the Sea", "The Flying Saucer Song", and "Turn Out the Light".

Q (12/99, p.164)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...parts of it are excellent....drenched in Lennonesque wobbly strings and echoing percussion....reveals that Nillson was an underrated writer and that everyone seems to have been completely pissed [drunk] throughout the whole thing..."