Time Floated by With Peter Cat Recording Co.

It was my 22nd birthday, around 2 a.m. I was completely plastered, slurring my words and stumbling, the usual motions when you’re drunk at your birthday party. I, along with my friends Johnny and Robbie, was cleaning up the party I had just thrown, a time-period-themed party. I was dressed in a Great Gatsby-looking outfit; my once-waxed and well-kept mustache was now damp and drooping, really looking like someone from the Roaring 20s. We took a break from cleaning, Johnny went to the restroom, and it was just Robbie and me. Robbie and I share similar musical tastes, and that was what we were talking about at the time. I had something playing on the speakers outside, and he asked what it was, but I didn’t even know; it was some random Spotify had recommended. We both agreed to skip it because it was bringing the mood down. Then he asked me if I had ever heard of Peter Cat Recording Co. I hadn’t heard of them, never had until he mentioned them. He told me they were Indian. At the time, I thought he meant Native American Indians, for whatever reason, because I was too drunk to really think about it. Robbie then told me to put on “Floated By,” and without hesitation, that’s what I did.

And the second, those trumpets at the beginning of the song start to play. I was completely enveloped. There were a couple of seconds of talking in it, and it reminded me of the party I just had, the conversations, the laughs, etc. And then the singing, the voice, so smooth, mellow, and cool, paired with the gentle guitar strumming, the light drums coming, and that bass just put the cherry on top. I sank into my chair, eyes closed, and was feeling it; it’s the only way I can explain it. I then look at Robbie, and I tell him how much I am enjoying this song. It was literally the best song I have heard in a long time. The song had made me feel like the party that just finished not too long ago was years ago now. The lyric “time just floated by” is an understatement. Because time did indeed float by. There was a rush of profound melancholy and joy; it was so intense.

I could chalk it up to the lyrics, but the sound of the song makes me feel this way, too. The best way I could explain it is like this. Imagine you're doing whatever, at work, on a walk, at the gym, whatever. And suddenly you remember a great time you had with your friends, family, whoever, or maybe an adventure you had on your own. Now you're replaying that instance, and you start to smile and maybe laugh, and really get into a good mood because man, that was such a fun time, and it was a happy one too. But then it starts to dawn on you. How long ago was that? And you start to realize that was years ago or a long time ago now. And then that smile starts to fade, and you start thinking about everything that has happened from then to now. Something has changed, and you dealt with idiots or ignorant people who have been in your life; you dealt with that, too. And just as the song says, time floated by, but at the same time, it’s not all bad because that joy you had in that memory is something so real- that emotion, that time that you cherish, that’s real, and it’s only a matter of time until you experience that again, and it will be something you reminisce about late on. And at the time of writing this, it has been nearly four years since first listening to “Floated By”, so I am reminiscing about a memory too. 

When the song finished, I snapped out of the daze I was in and told Robbie I needed to listen to this guy more because that song was absolute perfection. We get up, finish cleaning, and call it a night. The next morning, the first thing I did was look up more of Peter Cat's songs. The song I chose was their most-streamed: “Memory Box.” I didn’t know what to expect, but a disco-sounding start to a song was not what I expected. It was so different from “Floated By”, and then I just went to their album “Bismillah”. I cannot stress enough when I tell you that the album has nothing but 10/10 songs, no skips, all play. And every song sounds so different; it goes from mellow, melancholic, funky, to grimy. It’s wild how much range is in this album, and it all works together so beautifully.

As expected, I listen to them every day and become obsessed with their music. And I was waiting for them to come to the concert. And just my luck, in January 2023, they announced their first-ever North America tour. I was so hyped, I couldn’t wait to see them. And in May, they were playing in The Echo. I couldn’t ask for a better venue, seriously, small and intimate. The concert came, man, what a time I had. There's more detail about that night here. Seeing a band that you constantly listen to is always an amazing experience. And I have had that experience with other bands as well. But none really felt this one. From listening to “Floated By” on my birthday, drunk as hell, to seeing that same band live and play that song right in front of me, I can’t put into words how that feels.

That concert was three years ago. And I still remember that fondly, and so much has changed from then. And it is wild that soon it’ll be four years ago, then five, and so on. Time really floated by, and just as the song says, “Where? I wanna know,” because I really want to know where time goes, how fast a moment as good as that can end so fast. I wish I could listen to them for the first time again, but that’s not possible. Their new music, on the other hand, does have the same effect. And that really does say something about the band; they can be so good, it's like listening to them for the first time again. Some songs I would recommend would be “21c”, “Beautiful Life,” and “Suddenly”.

Peter Cat Recording Co. is, without a doubt in my mind, one of my favorite bands of all time, and I have my friend Robbie to thank for that. So, thank you, Robbie, for putting me on and introducing me to one of the best bands I have ever listened to.