Cat Dancer (album)
Cat Dancer is the debut and sole solo album by American singer-songwriter and musician Sandy Stewart, which was released by Modern in 1984. "Cat Dancer" failed to reach the "Billboard" 200, but reached number eight on the Bubbling Under the Top LPs chart. "Saddest Victory" was released as the album's only single. The album received a CD release by Wounded Bird Records in 2009. Background. Speaking of the album, Stewart told "The Spokesman-Review" in 1984, "The album is so depressing, like 'Oh God, he left me; oh God, I don't have a boyfriend .' I think that's because I tend to write more when I'm depressed. All my songs tend to sound too sad, and I'm very happy right now." "I Pretend" is a duet with Stevie Nicks, who also provided backing vocals on "Cat Dancers" and "Get My Way". Stewart and Nicks first collaborated on Nicks' 1983 solo album "The Wild Heart". On Nicks' album, Stewart provided keyboards, piano and backing vocals across six tracks. She also co-wrote three tracks, including the US hit singles "If Anyone Falls" and "Nightbird", the latter being a duet between Nicks and Stewart . Critical reception. On its release, Jim Bohen of the "Daily Record" wrote, "As you might expect, Stewart shares plenty with Nicks stylistically. Not only is her singing similar, but her writing tends toward dark romantic ballads with intensely personal, diary-like lyrics. But "Cat Dancer" gradually reveals plenty of personality of its own." He praised the instrumentation for "sound[ing] satisfyingly full and dynamic" and noted that Hill and Munday contribute "plenty of electric backbone". Jack Lloyd of "The Philadelphia Inquirer" stated, "Stewart's edge is that she writes some good songs, most of which fall into the love-lost category , which gets to be a drag over the long haul. The voice is adequate, though, if not spectacular, and the tunes are a notch or two above average." Akiko Mary Mitsui of "The Boston Globe" commented, "Stewart's songs retell tales of broken hearts, but pleasant melodic arrangements and varying guitar power save the songs from sounding repetitious. All in all, an impressive first release from a promising pop singer." Greg Kennedy of the "Red Deer Advocate" wrote, "Sandy's middle-of-the-road rock is enjoyable, but hardly good enough backing for her earthy, sometimes sultry voice. "Cat Dancer , while a pleasant, inoffensive LP, only whets the appetite for Sandy's next album. Personnel. Production