It is with some hesitancy that I begin a review with sad news, but it is nearly impossible to begin without relaying the sorrowful message of the passing of one of the key members of Catfish. Matt Long, lead singer and guitarist, passed away at age 29 in November of 2024 after a battle with cancer; while working on the band’s new album, Time To Fly. Remaining members, Paul Long (Matt Long’s father, and keyboardist/vocalist in the band), Adam Pyke (bass), and Phil Wilson (drums), made the decision to carry on in the completion of the new project. This is the 4th studio album (and they also have one live recording) released by the multi-award winning band, formed in 2014 and based in the South of England. Influenced by the likes of B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Matt Long once said this about blues music. “The blues is about living life, the good and the bad, and making something beautiful out of it”. I believe that the remaining members of Catfish were determined to make something beautiful out of this new recording. The band says that Time To Fly is comprised one half of the music that they were working on in the studio when Matt Long passed away and the other half is from recordings discovered after Matt’s death. It contains two demo songs discovered after his passing and two songs that were recorded live, where Matt Long’s vocals were removed and used on the studio cuts.

Time To Fly, a nine track recording, opens with the title cut “Time To Fly”. “You are so much more than you thought you were. Open your eyes. It’s your time to fly.” It’s a great piece to kick off this farewell, of sorts. There’s some really nice guitar work in this song that really implores you to dig further to see what Catfish will be offering up next. You don’t have to wait very long to find out, because the very next track, “Change My Ways” keeps that momentum flowing. This is a real “rocker” that features more of Matt Long’s superb guitar soloing, accompanied by the great work of the other Catfish band members. “Angel and devil on my shoulders; trying to take control. One trying to lead me right; one trying to lead me wrong. I’ve got to change my ways.” The recording takes a slight turn with the next tune, “Don’t Turn Around”; a well done Paul Long tune that leans slightly toward being a ballad. Soft and soothing at the beginning, with some really well done background vocal work, and tasteful guitar; the song picks up some intensity before easing back into the groove that makes this such an engaging piece. Track eight of Time To Fly is an admirable cover of the Al Jackson and Timothy Matthews traditional blues number, “Breaking Up Somebody’s Home”; made famous by Albert King. Anyone familiar with this renowned blues standard, will appreciate Catfish’s excellent take on it.

All in all, Time To Fly is a fitting tribute and farewell to Matt Long, as well as a respectful way for Catfish, as a band, to draw to a close a great run of successes and accomplishments. If this is the last that we hear from the band, it is a proper goodbye. Only time will reveal to us the future of the remaining members, but here, we can wish them well and properly extend our thanks for the significant music contribution that they’ve given to us. by Moe Moore

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Path: ...\Catfish - 2025 - Time to Fly (FLAC)

1 -=- 01 - Time To Fly.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
2 -=- 02 - Change My Ways.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
3 -=- 03 - Don't Turn Around.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
4 -=- 04 - Sick Of It All.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
5 -=- 05 - Forevermore And Again.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
6 -=- 06 - Lost In Autumn.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
7 -=- 07 - Breaking Up Somebody's Home.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
8 -=- 08 - Broken Halo.flac -=- CDDA (100%)
9 -=- 09 - Say The Word.flac -=- CDDA (100%)

Summary 100,00% CDDA

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