On the cover of her debut album, ‘Vicious Delicious’, we see Luvcat’s legs dangling from inside a cigarette carton. She appears to be trapped yet unhurried to escape. This might hint at the stories ahead: tales of reckless romantic adventures, an accidental venture into prophecy, and the doors of the rock ‘n’ roll hall of fame opening for her. I’m reminded of a topsy-turvy Dita von Teese, the striped legs above the Brighton Komedia, and Dorothy’s pigtails playfully falling along the yellow brick road.
Luvcat's strongest asset lies in her ability to create a vivid world; her visual language is so rich it lingers. Throughout ‘Vicious Delicious’, images of rebellion and deceit abound: a fishnet spider web, a Victorian in the playboy mansion, milk teeth and arsenic lips. It’s no surprise she chose Halloween for this release.
While several tracks were previously shared on an EP titled ‘Blushing’ – including the sultry ‘Love & Money’ and the sweet ‘Blushing’ – the new offerings on ‘Vicious Delicious’ are equally enticing.
In her interview with CLASH, Luvcat described ‘Alien’ as a reflection of her feeling like an outsider, and writing a song about discovering someone from the same world. In this context, her cabaret stage transforms into the light of a UFO shining down.
‘Matador’, the track that skyrocketed her rise, matches perfectly with ‘The Kazimier Garden’, a dreamy, shadowy instrumental tribute to the beloved beer garden in Liverpool.
‘Spider’ is a ballad about a boy you can’t ignore, tapping lightly over a quirky, Addams Family-style tune, while ‘Emma Dilemma’ is powerful and drum-focused.
The standout track, however, is ‘Bad Books’, where Luvcat's exaggerated characterization makes you want to shout to her potential lover: "She’s right behind you!"
You can almost hear Luvcat batting her eyelashes as she flirts, “Do you speak French? About a hundred little deaths?”
Yet, Le Petit Mort might be the least of his concerns: the song takes a turn toward the hilarious, with Luvcat exuberantly declaring her commitment to being the bad girl. It evolves into a piece of musical theatre, a manifesto from a wicked queen in a distant land.
Luvcat’s dance card is already filled with comparisons to previous heroines, but ‘Vicious Delicious’ showcases something distinctive, as unique as the hint of black in her otherwise blonde hair.
8/10
Words: Kate Jeffrie
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We observe Luvcat's legs dangling from within a cigarette carton on the front of her debut album, 'Vicious Delicious.' She appears to have gotten stuck and is not in a hurry to escape.