New Music: Cat Ryan "Mannerism"

Since giving up Hob Nobs as part of my New Years Resolution, I'm trying to find ways to distract myself from those oaty goodies. And in the new single by Cat Ryan, I think I may have found the perfect distraction!

The band refuse to talk to each other until one of them owns up to eating the last HobNob.

"Mannerism" is the brand new single from Cat Ryan, Newcastle-based art-pop trio and it is a super-jolly sounding bounce-along tune.

But hold on - your ears deceive you! This is not the happy love song that you are led into believing. This is a dark lyric, on the subject of self-awareness and overthinking situations but seems to give a nod towards an impending relationship breakdown where one party wants to put things right while the other doesn't want to address the situation. We don't know the reason for the breakdown. My guess is a lack of HobNobs?

Musically, this is a genius track. It's not unusual to hear sad songs with happy tunes but it is rare to find one that throws you off track so sharply. The guitar lead, almost skipping along, is the main culprit here, with it's frustratingly catchy tune, expertly supported by an equally happy bass and skippy drums. The vocals are sweet and happy, as you'd imagine, with an awful lot of words in not a lot of sentences.

“Mannerism is a self-reflexive song based on the frustration of trying to read people” Mary-Anne, frontwoman, singer/lyricist and multi-instrumentalist explains, “sometimes to the extent that it controls your everyday thoughts."

Every day thoughts like, perhaps, whether this self-imposed HobNob ban is as effective as I had hoped.

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