American Ocelot – Dropped & Invisble Lines

There are two distinct types of American Ocelot roaming parts of the country right now. On one side is the small, endangered feline that lives a primarily solitary and territorial existence down in southern Texas, eager to stay out of the public eye and away from human interaction. On the other is the amenable indie alt-rock band that travels in large friend groups and roams free around the Boston music scene, acting eminently approachable while honing its sonic craft and showing support for others. 

Both types of American Ocelot, as it turns out, are nocturnal creatures. But only one has new music coming out later this month.

With its first scratch of new music since a debut EP nearly two years ago, American Ocelot, the band, is set to release a pair of spirited indie-pop singles, “Dropped” and “Invisible Lines,” on Friday, February 13. The two new songs arrive ahead of a Valentine’s Day evening (February 14) release party at The Middle East in Cambridge, a stellar music scene showcase alongside the band’s personal friends in Girl with a Hawk, Happy Little Clouds, and Galaxy Cake.         

“Band is family,” says American Ocelot vocalist, keyboardist, and rhythm guitarist Joanie Lynch. “I really love playing with people who are happy playing together! I also love all of our songs, and when playing out live isn’t fun anymore, it will be over; but for now it is SO MUCH FUN!”

Fun has been the name of the game since American Ocelot and its harmonic indie rock arrived on the scene a few years back. The band – Lynch joined by Kurt James on percussion; Kevin James on lead guitar; and Charlie Sullivan bass guitar – rounded into its current form after the release of its self-titled EP, which was hyped by WBUR, Boston’s NPR, as one of the city’s most notable releases that summer.

For this new batch of material, the foursome hit Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham to record with David Minehan, and the first results of a wealth of new music are this double A-side single, with both “Dropped” and “Invisible Lines” taking on an upbeat new wave sheen that recalls the propulsive guitar-driven indie and power-pop of The Primitives, Go-Gos, and Pretenders.

“American Ocelot brings the songs to life; the only thing I can tell you for certain is that everything I write has an ‘80s inspiration’ song or hook,” Lynch says. “Sometimes I add Easter Eggs by lifting small sections of ‘80s tunes and dropping them in randomly. You have to be really listening to find them. There isn’t really a premeditated sound. Once we finalize a song, we like to record as soon as possible.”

A sense of urgency can be especially heard on “Dropped,” a dynamic guitar-pop song about the fragility of life and its underlying meaning, aided by a beast of a guitar solo by Kevin James. It also boasts some of the most infectious indie-pop harmonies to come out of Boston in a minute, belying its more serious lyrical nature.    

“‘Dropped’ is about acknowledging the randomness and ultimately the apparent meaninglessness of life,” Kevin James says, “and then realizing that those very qualities liberate and empower one to live in the present and create one’s own meaning in a powerful way.”

Despite its playful and tumbling sound, “Invisible Lines” also has a serious lyrical backstory to it.

“‘Invisible Lines’ is about my grandmother,” Lynch reveals. “She was really horrible to my mother and our family so we didn’t really spend too much time together. I actually worked with a medium a little bit after her passing to learn her real motive for such despicable behavior. The dislike and hatred were obvious, but there were some underlying reasons that the medium was able to channel. I don’t know why I felt compelled to write a song about it, but I had a hook that wouldn’t let go so it blew up into a whole song.”

Those two tracks are just the start of new music coming from American Ocelot this year. But before the new jams are released out into the wild, it’s high time to pounce on the here and now.

“My favorite part about songs,” Lynch admits, “is performing them, of course.”

So the band went ahead and put together a party for the ages, rounding up friends and musical family for the release show at The Middle East. Nicole Anguish at Daykamp Creative designed the poster – fit with hot pinks and reds and ocelots listening to music together, with their earbud wires forming the shape of a heart. (And keeping the band’s efforts within its ever-expanding friend group, longtime collaborator John Soares contributes all the band’s photography).

It’s a Valentine’s Day show after all, but really, this one’s for the friends as much as it is for the lovers.

“The lineup for the release show is friend night,” Lynch says with a laugh. “We really wanted to play with bands that are our close friends that we enjoy hanging out with. The audience can expect eclectic, spunky, melodic hooks from Galaxy Cake; layered Americana at its best with heartfelt songs at the core from Girl with a Hawk; and some of the best driving, original indie rock from Happy Little Clouds. Basically, expect to see bands that could headline their own shows coming together to entertain YOU.”

That’s the American Ocelot way. There’s no solitary action here – just a big celebration of the Boston music scene. And now that the band has some new songs to add to the city’s eclectic sound, Lynch and the boys just want people to come out and have some fun.

“We have really grown as a group and our live set is very tight,” she concludes. “I focus on singing powerfully, but melodically. We are working on more harmony and layers of our delicious cake for everyone to enjoy. We want people to leave a show feeling upbeat and saying ‘Wow!’”

That other American Ocelot would never.

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