Vicious Kitty Releases “Mrs. Claus”

Vicious Kitty’s “Mrs. Claus” seemingly conjures musical sound and fury that sounds squarely at odds with the Christmas spirit. Listen deeper, however, and you’ll discover three musicians focused on that Yuletide moment in a special way that few, if any, of their contemporaries readily match. It’s more than just another Xmas track or an offbeat expression of the season. “Mrs. Claus” reveals the perhaps surprising extent and liveliness of Vicious Kitty’s songwriting imagination and shows listeners a three-piece arguably capable of pulling off anything that they set their minds to. It’s fun, kicks ass, and comes across as a powerful example of the band’s skills.

The fun and skill are evident from the outset. They add a nice touch with the inclusion of sleighbells during the song’s opening seconds, but we’re soon off to the races. Vicious Kitty unleashes the wicked riff that anchors the bulk of the track and the extra bite of effects laced into the playing gives it a little more teeth than it might otherwise possess.

Despite the inherent entertainment value of the song’s story, however, and the accompanying vocal, the music maintains an even keel. Vicious Kitty contrasts those aforementioned elements of the song with a well-constructed arrangement that could serve any subject matter and never risks sounding overblown. The forceful nature of the musical performance exhibits an unwavering focus indicative of the best hard rock rather than playing to the song lyric’s garish qualities and it’s a better performance for it.

The singing is a little over the top, but that’s fitting, given the subject matter. Vicious Kitty decides to lean into their rather florid tale of Mrs. Claus falling under the sway of evil powers rather than maintaining a distance from the subject matter. It makes for an even more enjoyable ride. The vocals and story, however, never dominate the performance. They are, instead, part and parcel of a larger overall whole, and the accompaniment dovetails nicely into the arrangement.

It’s obvious that the band’s extensive experience with storytelling serves them well. The song shows a prodigious imagination at work. They manage to pull it off without ever over-extending the listeners’ patience as music and movie fans alike will enjoy the band’s unique take on an equally unique story. It resolves itself in an entertaining fashion rather than remaining open-ended or adorned with loose ends. “Mrs. Claus” comes across as a work where Vicious Kitty knew exactly what they hoped to accomplish when the process began and it’s a rousing success by any measure.

Let’s hope we get more work like this from the band. Vicious Kitty obviously times “Mrs. Claus” for release alongside the Christmas season but, really, it has year-long appeal. They succeed where too few bands ever could and it invites you back for multiple listens. This is arguably the band’s zenith, thus far, and leaves you with the distinct impression that they are far from done. In fact, Vicious Kitty may be just beginning to hit their stride with this track. 

Nicole Killian