Cindy Lee - Cat O' Nine Tails

Originally issued in 2020 as a limited run of just 50 lathe-cut LPs, Cat O’ Nine Tails has taken on near-mythic status among Cindy Lee devotees. Now widely available for the first time via W.25TH / Superior Viaduct, this release reveals an essential chapter in Patrick Flegel’s haunting, cinematic songcraft.

The album moves like a lost 1960s art film soundtrack, opening with the shadowy drama of “Our Lady of Sorrows” before spiraling into the manic suite of “Cat O’ Nine Tails.” Songs like “Faith Restored” and “Love Remains” showcase Flegel’s uncanny ability to merge torch-song intimacy with surreal pop experimentation.

Side Two’s centerpiece, “Cat O’ Nine Tails III,” brings the suite to a sweeping, emotional climax before yielding to the fragile heartbreak of “I Don’t Want to Fall in Love Again” and the soulful closer “Bondage of the Mind.”

A mesmerizing blend of classic songwriting, Morricone-esque instrumentals, and spectral vulnerability, Cat O’ Nine Tails is a vital bridge between What’s Tonight to Eternity and Diamond Jubilee—now cut at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity and emotional impact.