Cat Southall

Sal are a Welsh band, the foursome are Cat on vocals, Noog on guitars, Chris on bass and Dan on drums. They were also winners of Best live Act at the Exposure Music Awards 2009.

Not always a big fan of female rock vocalists but putting this to the back of my mind I listened with interest. Boy was I glad I put that bigotry to the back of my mind, this is not bad at all, in fact itís good.

Opening track Get Your Facts Right, guitar wise could have been mistaken for Pigeon Detectives with extremely strong vocals. For me one of the stand out tracks on the album, its catchiness moves towards pop but manages to keep a bit of edge about it.

Next track is Swallowed Pride for Hollow Promises much of the same musically a bit more emotionally driven and even a bit camp rock in places (for those in the know thatís a teen Disney film with the lovely Jonas Brothers and not a gay rock movement). Jekyll and Hyde starts of so gently it lulls you into thinking this is going to be a melodic slow number then jumps into a strong guitar driven, almost punk number, I loved it.

Following this track is Demons which is much slower, showing the versatility of the vocals, brilliant lyrics with a lovely piano. The next track was the winner of a competition to be the theme song for the new James Bond audio book by Sebastian Faulks of the same name. Devil May Care is another stand out track, which again excellently combines the best of rock and pop. Perfection is beautifully executed, perfectly tuned vocals with just the right balance of guitars gently lifting throughout the track, a really listenable track reminding me of the great ballad rock numbers of the 80ís, eat your heart out Bon Jovi!!!

The mood moves towards punk again for Ordinary Guy, while I had started to think that the rockier numbers were starting to be a bit similar this track dispels this completely. Next up is California, starts a bit quick for me, no intro to speak of and while most tracks build this seems to go into reverse, starting strong then dipping down, not my personal favourite but still a good enough album track.

The title track Conversations With My Therapist has good lyrics, perhaps a little predictable but passable. On Invisible, the intro sounds a little electro with synth popping in the background, a slow burning rock number, another stand out for me. I liked the uniqueness of this number.

I particularly liked the title of the next number Highly Strung, Highly Fun, sounds like a few of my friends (or is that their description of meÖ)! A Love Song For Alcoholics, not sure what could have inspired this but the music is fun, bouncy and highly original. Particularly like the guitars a move away from the norm, same goes for the drums, a really unusual track perhaps not a single or of the moment but I liked this one.

What I really like about this band is the way they have avoided trying to sound like other more successful bands, the female vocalist doesnít appear to be trying to out rock the male vocalists. I predict a strong future for this band, if they can be picked up by one of the mainstream radio shows the world will be their oyster.
- The beat Surrender

SAL, a new four-piece rock/punk outfit from Cardiff, have enjoyed a blistering start to 2009. They have notched up a Bond theme - they have been chosen to provide the official theme song to Sebastian Faulks' new James Bond novel, 'Devil May Care' - they have also just won 'Best Live Act' at the Exposure Music Awards, and notched up considerable national media attention.

The band have just released their new album, 'Conversations with My Therapist', produced by the legendary Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia, INME). He has crafted a fresh, punky, infectious sound that's helped secure SAL's considerable fanbase.

Fronted by lead singer Cat, with Noog on guitars, Chris on bass and Denley on drums, SAL have shared stages with the likes of fellow rockers Terris, Skindred, Reef, The Crockets, Dodgy, Kennedy Soundtrack, The Datsuns, Fydolla Ho, Bad Manners and Saxon.

Hello there, what are you up to?'
Well it's an exciting time for us in the Sal camp, we just had an amazing album launch, it was the first time weíve played the new album live and the response was excellent! Now we're looking forward to touring the album, spending some quality time as a band again in hot and sweaty venues, and hopefully getting plenty of radio play.

You brought out your new album last month, tell us a bit about that..

The album is called 'Conversations with My Therapist'. This album is the first time we've really properly written together as a band, so we're more excited about it than we have been about anything else. It's more organically written and all our influences are in every song which makes it the best thing we've done.

If you could recommend just one song from the album for us to listen to, what would it be?

I like Get Your Facts Right. It's the opening song on the album and I think it shows a different side to us.

Many people might be surprised by the number of albums you've actually released, what gives you the motivation to keep going in this career?

It's the love of it! We're not only a band, but a family, and as long as we're all enjoying it we'll keep going, it is a lot of hard work, but it's also a lot of fun and very rewarding.

We are constantly excited about the things we achieve as a band. I mean with this album, we've done it all ourselves, Noog (guitarist) worked so hard at producing it and we absolutely love the result! Now we can't wait to promote it and get people as excited as we are about it and then start writing the next one. At the end of the day we don't get paid for doing this as a job, so the reasons we keep on going are obvious.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out, knowing what you know now?

Enjoy it! It's easy to get bogged down by trying to 'make it', and believe me a lot of broken promises along the way can really weigh you down. So find the right band, stick with it, and have some great years together, these will be times you'll never forget. Also, the Fans are the most important thing. Stay in touch with your fans, give your music away, sell merchandise, use the net to keep your fans updated and give them things to be excited about all the time.


To anyone who hasn't heard of you yet, how would you describe your sound?

Rock, Pop, Punk, Metal. To be honest I wouldn't! Just listen to us. We are compared to bands all the time, usually because they're female fronted, but not because they're anything like us. We are fundamentally a rock band, you'll have to figure the rest out for yourselves. In a Kerrang review we were compared to Skunk Anansie, which is nice because they were an awesome band., but also Garbage and more recently Paramore. To be honest I think we sound like 'Sal'.

If you could cover another band's song, what would it be?

Ha ha that's a funny question because we can never agree on a perfect cover to do at gigs! So I guess it's easier to tell you the last song we covered: Blondie - Hanging on the telephone

And can you sum up your good selves in just five words?

Dynamic, Exciting, a Little Crazy!

You know we're having a bit of an economic crisis here at the moment, if people wanted to spend their last £10 on a cd this weekend, why should they buy yours?

They won't be disappointed if or should I say when they buy it! There's a real variety of music on this album. It's one of those albums which will stay with you, I guarantee if you listen to it a couple of times you'll be hooked.

What three bands would you have to headline your dream festival?

Iron Maiden, Metallica, No Doubt. (Michael Jackson would have been there)

What has been your favourite musical memory to date?

Ah there've been so many, but I would say when we realised that we finally found a bass player who was gonna stay put!

But a close second was writing the theme song for the recent James Bond Audio book "Devil May Care".

If all of the bands equipment was on fire, what one piece would you save and why?

Denley's (drummer) giant schlong - It's our Inspiration.

If you could only listen to one CD for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Iron Maiden - Powerslave

Okay, now we want to ask you some random questions; Tell me about the most terrifying experience of your life

My first Rock Gig!

What's the most stupid purchase you've ever made?

Hmmmmm. None. They've all made me who I am today! Lol Ah okay Probably a spiderman costume which my parents struggled to get me out of until my late 20s!

Why go to the top of a tall building, only to put money in binoculars and look at things on the ground?

Ha ha ha. Good Question. To feel big against all the little people down there?
- FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison

In recent weeks Iíve received a few albums from new artists marketing themselves, and very effectively. But Iíve not received any Welsh releases, until today. Sal from South Wales released their first album (DYSFUNCTIONAL) back in 2005 and on the strength of this new album Iím glad the band ístuck around.í

Cat (lead vocals), Noog (guitars), Chris (bass) and Den (drums) is a heavy rock band with a strong punk vibe and truckloads of pop sensibility. And this album is not only a very good one but a very clever one. The band can also deliver live and recently won ëBest Live Actí at the Exposure Music Awards 2009.

The album opens with ëGet Your Facts Rightí, a rather conventional, driving punk rocker which provides a first vague hint at whatís to come, and a female lead vocal thatís just a bit special. ëSwallowed Pride For Hollow Promisesí also takes a rather conventional, unspectacular route but I persevere and come up trumps with the first real indication of how good this band is. ëJekyll and Hydeí opens with a an attractive piano passage and rather comical last twinkiling notes, just before the rock onslaught starts. Heading the charge is Cat on vocals (mercifully without that American twang singers are so fond of) who gives a powerful, passionate performance that travels the vocal range. The drums begin to sound decent while the guitar riffs are just what the doctor ordered. Itís a good song with great melody and just about perfect production, courtesy of the bandís guitarist Noog.

The song opens a virtually non-stop barrage of great tunes starting with the dark, slow, thoughtful and quite beautiful ëDemons.í And this is the clever bit - the band has very wisely mixed pace and sound to keep the interest bubbling. Catís vocal is dosed up with expression and sincerity, while the band provide a perfect backdrop which falls during verses and soars in choruses. Another fabulous melody and epic vibe completes one of the highlights on this album. The pace and mood changes dramatically with ëDevil May Careí (used as the theme for the Sebastian Faulks James Bond audio books) which explodes into action led by a drums and a threatening guitar rhythm. Catís vocal is exceptional (again) and the aggressive guitar riffs are terrific.

ëPerfectioní then slows things down again with a moody and touching vibe beautifully created by a moving vocal from Cat and subtle guitar backing, both perfectly matched to this glorious, super-melodic pop song. The choruses eventually gain in momentum and catepult this song into epic, chart-busting territory - I kid you not! ëOrdinary Guyí loosens the brake and jaggedly drives along in rampant punk rock style. Itís a bass-driven winner.

Later highlights include the contemplative power pop rock, ëCaliforniaí, slow-burning rocker ëInvisibleí, and mixed pace, rhythmic punk pop of ëA Love Song For Alcoholics.í

This is an album designed to drive this excellent band into the big time, in super-quick time. And itís deserved. Catís vocals place her at the top of the female lead rock vocal tree, and the band supports her with instrumental performances that are supremely well-judged, while Noog has pulled off an exempliary production job. Thereís melody to burn and wonderful diversity of sound, vibe and pace. My only criticism is that a couple of the songs are a tad over-long, but Iím penny-pinching. Itís a hugely entertaining album that deserves major success, and I canít wait to see the band perform live. As they say: JOB DONE!

4/5
- Shaken stir

Asking this reviewer to give his opinion on a female fronted band is a bit like asking my fellow Welshman "Rt Revd Rowan Williams" to join the back of a queue for a gokkun video shoot. We're both way out of our depth.
For all my love of music you can probably count the number of female singers I genuinely like on one hand. And that list includes the likes of "Wendy O Williams", "Joan Jett", "Aimee Echo" and "Miss Guy"(sic), not "Hayley fucking Williams"

So, it's with some sort of relief that I find myself increasingly enthralled by the vocal charms of "Cat" lead chanteuse of South Wales very own "Sal".

"Conversations with My Therapist" is the bands second full album for Copro Records, following hot on the heels of the recent Ace (Skunk Anansie) produced "Infatuation" EP and the rather splendid accolade of having penned a James Bond theme in the shape of "Devil May Care". This track alone is worth you exploring "Sal" it's a twisting and brooding 3:38 of near perfect pop/rock perfection that still stands as the bands key to unlocking mainstream success.

Likewise, album opening trio of "Get Your Facts Right", "Swallowed Pride For Hollow Promises" and "Jekyll and Hyde" pack a sugar sweet one two three punch that sets them well ahead of their Welsh scene compadres in the "who can write the hookiest tracks "competition.
All three strangely remind me of "Pat Benatar" at her rocking best, and I bet you won't get the mainstream reviews picking that one out.

"Sal" do manage to lose me when they dip into melancholy where the "Tori Amos" influence gets too much, and I see myself flicking tracks "Demons" and "Perfection", but then you get the kooky bristling charm of "Ordinary Guy" to perk things up and I'm smiling again to a track that certainly wouldn't have looked out of place on the "Breaking Glass" soundtrack.

"Sal" like to describe themselves as Pop Punk, which I actually think does their true musical potential a bit of a disservice.
"Sal" have a very realistic chance to crossover, especially if they can pen 5 or 6 "Devil May Cares" in the future, and I certainly look forward to that.

The world is your oyster "Sal", now go out and take it on.

3 O out of 5

by Johnny H. - Glitzine

The recent review of this album in the once mighty Kerrang! Magazine did Sal such a terrible disservice that it deserves mention here; labelled as mere Paramore soundalikes when, in reality, they were plugging away on the circuit when Hayley Williams was still waiting for the first ginger hair to appear in her private place, was the laziest piece of music journalism that I have read in a long while. Female fronted band in 2009? Hmmm, must be a Paramore clone.

Sal sound as much like the tween-friendly auburn auteurs as the sound of my fat fingers hitting the keys whilst typing this article sounds like the millions of feet trampling towards their local newsagents to pick up the latest issue of a weekly rock magazine that has (un)happily picked up the throwaway pieces that the now-defunct Smash Hits pop weekly threw away. See what I did there?


If a 'Best Live Act' award wasn't enough of a platform for Sal to build upon, they achieved a large amount of publicity when their 'Devil May Care' song was chosen as the theme tune to accompany the audio book of an all new James Bond novel written by Sebastian Faulks. The song provides a backbone to 'Conversations With My Therapist' but will the entire album be a case of 007 or double Oh No?


Vocalist Cat has a set of pipes on her that most females would give up Facebook to possess, quite how they would survive without knowing what their peers were eating for dinner is another matter entirely. There have been times in the past where I have questioned if her voice and the trio of rock solid musicians in the band were the perfect fit. This album answers my questions immediately ñ the band have never sounded better.

Album opener 'Get Your Facts Right' is a spiked piece of pop-fused rock that is a real sugar burst of a song. 'Swallowed Pride For Hollow Promises' moves along on a brooding melody line, while the subtle piano-led opening of 'Jekyll And Hyde' quickly transforms into a naughty little nod to new wave. The Bond theme 'Devil May Care' follows a rough template ñ it seems to have absorbed a number of classic entries in the 007 song catalogue ñ and rams home the reasons behind its previous success; Catchy yet effortlessly epic. 'Ordinary Guy' quickly knocks any thoughts of dodgy lyrics out of my head with a barbed delivery and a decent hook. 'Highly Strung, Highly Fun' is a catchy romp through pop punk territory and album closer 'A Love Song For Alcoholics' is a perfect parting gift that kinda sums the band up in three and a half minutes of melodic mauling.


But let's not forget that the album is called 'Conversations With My Therapist'. There are times on this record when the multiple personalities of Sal raise their heads and offer more questions than answers. The band's guitarist Noog, bassist Chris and drummer Denley Calais Slade sound at their best when they really get the chance to kick out the jams. The title track is a perfect example of their desire to drive a song home. Vocalist Cat, however, sounds at her best on the songs where melancholy and mood take over. 'Invisible', 'Perfection' and 'Demons' are great examples of her fantastic voice, with an almost Tori Amos-like quality haunting at least a couple of them. 'California' is a prime example of a perfect fusion of these two, often quite different, personas.

Sal have a huge record in them, I just know it. They are probably just a couple of hugely memorable hooks away from making a real dent in the industry. This well produced album is another stepping stone towards that goal. Recommended for those who like their rock music coated in barbs of melody. - Written by Gaz E - 15 July 2009 19:11

"One of the most powerful vocalists to emerge since Skunk Anansie's SKIN" - Kerrang

"What makes this stand out is the female vocalist allied to the intense guitar madness. A great kick in the arse for the shoe gazing lot" - Big Issue

Where Riffs and Mighty Lungs Collide
"Taking a basic riff rock package and topping it with the soaring vocals of a girl named Cat, the immediate comparison that cartwheels to mind and delivers a roundhouse kick to the ears is that of defunct Britrock pack Skunk Anansie. A few steps short of stunning but impressive nevertheless. - Paul Travers for Kerrang.

"Sal have a drive and urgency to them...
the band knock out some punchy top-class riffs" - Buzz

Review by Alex Duncalf

The first thing that came to mind when listening to Conversations With My Therapist was 'oh god, not another female singer trying to fill the large boots of man in the rock music genre'. But I have to admit the songs are unpredictably catchy. I hadn't heard anything of SAL before and the name created this false image of a group of dumb, balding 'rock stars' throwing together crude lyrics and basic riffs. How wrong I was, 'Demons' is a piano-led heart warmer which holds the listeners attention through to the final chord. Next track is 'Devil May care', a raw and gripping journey which won the 2008 James Bond theme tune competition.

I frequently exclaim that relatively unheard of bands are 'unheard of' because they lack depth, whereas with SAL this is not the case, in fact I can't understand why I haven't heard of them before because they are as good as any other band soaking up the limelight currently and all of this is down to Cat's vocals. 'Demons', 'Perfections', the end of 'California'and 'Invisible' contrast with the heavier tracks to create an album balanced with true aplomb. 'Perfections' shows exactly why women are becoming more and more to the fore throughout music, those with true talent and beautiful vocals can soar to limitless heights and I believe that Cat could possess the wings that could make SAL soar.

At present FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE are dominating the mainstream music industry, Florence Welch's voice is second to none, but it is her choice of music and direction that has allowed the band to become more accessible. SAL it seems has similarly moulded their sound to become as appealing as possible to the rock branch of the massive musical 'tree'. Overall a good album crafted almost to perfection and definitely one to check out.

Rating: 4.0/5.0 - Bacon Music - http://www.baconmusic.co.uk/2009/07/03/reviews/3774/

In recent weeks I've received a few albums from new artists marketing themselves, and very effectively. But I've not received any Welsh releases, until today. Sal from South Wales released their first album (DYSFUNCTIONAL) back in 2005 and on the strength of this new album I'm glad the band stuck around.

Cat (lead vocals), Noog (guitars), Chris (bass) and Den (drums) is a heavy rock band with a strong punk vibe and truckloads of pop sensibility. And this album is not only a very good one but a very clever one. The band can also deliver live and recently won 'Best Live Act'at the Exposure Music Awards 2009.

The album opens with 'Get Your Facts Right', a rather conventional, driving punk rocker which provides a first vague hint at what's to come, and a female lead vocal thatís just a bit special. 'Swallowed Pride For Hollow Promises' also takes a rather conventional, unspectacular route but I persevere and come up trumps with the first real indication of how good this band is. 'Jekyll and Hyde' opens with a an attractive piano passage and rather comical last twinkiling notes, just before the rock onslaught starts. Heading the charge is Cat on vocals (mercifully without that American twang singers are so fond of) who gives a powerful, passionate performance that travels the vocal range. The drums begin to sound decent while the guitar riffs are just what the doctor ordered. It's a good song with great melody and just about perfect production, courtesy of the band's guitarist Noog.

The song opens a virtually non-stop barrage of great tunes starting with the dark, slow, thoughtful and quite beautiful 'Demons' And this is the clever bit - the band has very wisely mixed pace and sound to keep the interest bubbling. Cat's vocal is dosed up with expression and sincerity, while the band provide a perfect backdrop which falls during verses and soars in choruses. Another fabulous melody and epic vibe completes one of the highlights on this album. The pace and mood changes dramatically with 'Devil May Care' (used as the theme for the Sebastian Faulks James Bond audio books) which explodes into action led by a drums and a threatening guitar rhythm. Cat's vocal is exceptional (again) and the aggressive guitar riffs are terrific.

'Perfection' then slows things down again with a moody and touching vibe beautifully created by a moving vocal from Cat and subtle guitar backing, both perfectly matched to this glorious, super-melodic pop song. The choruses eventually gain in momentum and catepult this song into epic, chart-busting territory - I kid you not! 'Ordinary Guy' loosens the brake and jaggedly drives along in rampant punk rock style. Itís a bass-driven winner.

Later highlights include the contemplative power pop rock, 'California', slow-burning rocker 'Invisible', and mixed pace, rhythmic punk pop of 'A Love Song For Alcoholics'.

This is an album designed to drive this excellent band into the big time, in super-quick time. And it's deserved. Cat's vocals place her at the top of the female lead rock vocal tree, and the band supports her with instrumental performances that are supremely well-judged, while Noog has pulled off an exempliary production job. Thereís melody to burn and wonderful diversity of sound, vibe and pace. My only criticism is that a couple of the songs are a tad over-long, but I'm penny-pinching. It's a hugely entertaining album that deserves major success, and I can't wait to see the band perform live. As they say: JOB DONE!

4/5

- http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/reviews/sal-conversations-with-my-therapist-copro/reviews/8670

This gives us a taste of their energy with their spiky ultra catchy tunes. These songs showcase Cat's voice at its best - these are great guitar tunes.
Ali Stokes -

You'll play this again and again and you'll spend all day talking about it with your friends and neighbours. It's not an album. it's a moment in history. we finally have a female fronted rock band that produces some of the finest emotionally charged songs ever. Garbage has their heir apparent. - Room Thirteen - RoomThirteen.com

"This album really is something special, and it deserves huge commercial success, outstripping pretty much everything already on the market in indie and pop rock circles. Vital, emotional, tuneful and inspired, it is a remarkable debut that screams to be heard. In a word, brilliant, 5 stars" - Stephen Lambe for Musical Discoveries.com