Matte Martin – Bridge – Full Album!

It’s an exciting Caturday at Berkeley Cat Records. Today we see the full release to the digital wilds of Matte Martin’s Bridge album. This happens to be the first full-length album on our label and I’m very proud to host and distribute it far and widely starting….. now!

This record was composed, performed, recorded and produced by Matte Martin with a little help from his friends. My first thought when I heard this was, “Who knew Kurt Weill and Gentle Giant had a baby and why wasn’t I told?” Bridge is a bold and revelatory musical and lyrical journey.

Give ‘er a spin! You can find this in your favorite streaming service as of nanoseconds ago, or better yet, purchase it directly from the artist at his BandCamp page. Above is an embed of said page. Below, you will find links to said stream-o-nets.

On a personal note, this record touches my heart as it looks unflinchingly at the wreckages we have wrought, while radiating an irrepressible and intentional light. There is love in these tracks. And heartbreak and redemption. And humor and venom, and healing and collapse. I invite you to listen and share!

Thank you,

-Eric Din
Berkeley Cat Records
Cat-Herder in Chief

Listen on Pandora

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play or Amazon

Comeback Pete Re-Releases Anthemic “Mankind” On Berkeley Cat Records!

A very special July 4th release, here is “Mankind” by Comeback Pete! This track was recorded in 1976 and released as a single on Beserkley Records. It’s long been a favorite here at Berkeley Cat Records, and when Son Of Pete announced his return, like cats we pounced! A unique song from a unique artist, this is our Interdependence Day anthem here at BCR world headquarters.

“Mankind” has a straightforward message – Nature and mankind are one – and while it’s astonishing that humans could ever have the hubris to think otherwise, here we are, destroying the earth.

Pete has a straightforward message too – VOTE! Our web-footed friends don’t get to the polls, so it is our duty to never miss an election as fellow citizens of this planet. Pete wears it on his forehead.

Comeback Pete has a blog where you can keep up with his activities and efforts. And we’ll be releasing more music from Pete here as 2020 continues to unfold. A Beserkley Cat at Berkeley Cat!? Who woulda thunkit?! We are very proud and delighted to welcome Pete to BCR, and a little bird tells me we’ll see some other Beserkley kitties moseying in soon too!

Vote. Save the world. We can do it.

Matte Martin – Mutilate

Video and single 2 –Mutilate- from Matte Martin’s new album, “Bridge” going live in the streaming services on July 11. We’re so excited to share these previews, and proud to welcome Matte Martin to the Berkeley Cat Records fam! More to come soon about this extraordinary album, produced by the artist himself.

Russ and Bella Ellis – Apollo 11

How much am I freaking out? Oh a lot. This glowing meteor just landed in my backyard, the latest from Russ Ellis, this one featuring his granddaughter Bella. Climb aboard, strap in and put on your space helmets, kitties, cos we are blasting off to EDM pop heaven. For track 10 on this album, I am proud to present, Apollo 11! I’m over here discoing down in my Spaceman Spiff pajamas, people. I invite you to have a listen, download if you like, read Russ’s liner notes and share it to the moon!

-Dinsky

Liner notes from Russ:

Dave Ellis and Lauren Rivera blessed my wife and me with our first grandchild in the year 2000.

And what a blessing. Bodacious. Dancie. Verbal. Tuneful starting at around three.

So, in thinking about collaborations for this album, I thought of her. Bella and her father had come up with some playful collaborations over the years. I was certain she would be up for it.

When I asked her, she readily agreed. Bella suggested some possibilities from a menu of compositions she was creating in her dorm room at San Francisco State University, where she is a student in the Theater Arts Program.

We settled on Apollo 11, largely because I had just watched a PBS documentary on the mission called “Eight Days to the Moon and Back”. I reviewed the documentary for the astronauts comments that I found interesting.

Bella made a few adjustments, and her Daddy Dave mixed it. Here it is.

Lyrics:

Fly so high, up above.
Fly so high, soaring through the sky.

Apollo 11, I hear the rocket taking off.
Soaring through the sky.

Fly so high, soaring through the sky.

Apollo 11
Apollo 11
Apollo 11
Fly so high, soaring through the sky.

Apollo 11, I hear the rocket taking off.
Soaring through the sky.
Fly so high, up above.
Apollo 11

Credits:

Music: Bella Ellis
Voice: Russ Ellis & Bella Ellis

© 2020 Ellis, Ellis and Ellis
Zadell Music, ASCAP

Produced by Bella Ellis and Dave Ellis at Ellis Island Studios

The Recyclists – Release B!

It’s astounding! Time is fleeting! Release B by Berkeley’s beloved Recyclists is live on all the streamingnets!

Play it on Spotify below, or click here for links to Apple or GooglePlay! Or here for Pandora! Whaaat? So many options! What is a Berkeley cat to do?

Organically grown in Berkeley with the finest locally sourced catnip, this is next level jam band chillreggaerevolutionrock! Send it to yer pals. Put it on your playlists. Dance in your kitchen or garden. We’re with you on this. Without further ado ladies and gentlemen, Berkeley Cat Records is proud to present, The Recyclists self-produced EP, Release B! Rock it!

Island Life by Eric Din

I posted an earlier mix of this just in time for the Xmas holidaze. Here it is completed and mastered for release to the Interwilds! I’ve been feeling this one anew during this social distancing time, and I hope it takes you to a nice place for a minute too. Island Life comes out in the streaming services on Caturday, May 23. Exclusively here and on BandCamp now.

ISLAND LIFE

I’ve been workin’ late on Friday night
And I’m goin’ in on Caturday
I’ve been thinkin’ bout the island light
As another summer peels away

Hanging in this curtain
Grey skies over urban
Lately my mind’s been wanderin’

To where the horizon shoulda been
Touch, but I can’t be certain,
Where it all ends I start again,

Let’s blow it off
I wanna get away
I wanna hear some music
I wanna hear ya say

All the world’s an island, life is free,
Half a million friends, but I’m lonely,
As the glaciers fall and raise the sea,
Won’t you save some island life for me?

Why can’t we all just live in peace?
Sometimes I break down in the morning and cry
Scream out in the night
Only to realize
There’s nothing in the world we can’t do
Anything we set our minds to
Maybe someday I won’t always be alone

Hanging in this curtain
Grey skies over urban
Lately my mind’s been wanderin’

Right over the silver lining
South, to the blue shining
A postcard sent home to mom

All the world’s an island, life is free,
Every day looks still more crazy,
Greta sailed the wide and open sea,
For to save some island life for she
For we

——————–


Eric Din – Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Loop Drums
Michael Urbano – Live Drums
Paul Jackson – Synths and Percussion

Recorded at Din’s house and East Bay Recorders,
by Michael Rosen and Mr. Din
Paul Jackson recorded by Paul Jackson at Paul’s house
Mixed by Matt Winegar
Mastered by Eric Din somewhere out in the woods
Cover art by Shannon Wheeler

Music and lyrics ©2019 by Eric Roy Dinwiddie,
King Roy Music, BMI

Much Better by Eric Din

The latest from Eric Din was recorded mere hours ago where he’s diligently isolated. We’re compiling a collection of Din’s more sensible comments. “Much Better” is the first entry in this exciting new log.

Much Better

Much
Better

It’s much better
It’s much better
It’s much better
Without butter

Go to your room
Calisthenics 
Kook mal, Schtruppi

It’s much better
It’s much better
It’s much better
Without butter

Guaranteed in at least thirty states 

It’s much better
It’s much better
It’s much better
Without butter

A gelatinous, seething tube
From outer space
They’ve come
To put us in our place

Quack quack  

Guitar, voice and production by Eric Din
Artwork by Shannon Wheeler


©2020 Eric Roy Dinwiddie
King Roy Music, BMI