Press for the You May Already Be A Winner (EP) - Released Oct 2008

Hailing from that y'allternative hotbed known as Brooklyn, Katy Mae has a leg up on most of its peers thanks to the pure, unfettered authenticity that bleeds through the pores of its material. This five-song EP - a stopgap release to keep fans primed for an upcoming full-length; previously were The Sweetheart Deal and The Lightning and the Sun - offers primo examples of the quartet's agile-but-gritty tunesmithery.

Right from the get-go, with the hard-twang careen of "Two Dollars Late," which suggests a bluesier Drive-By Truckers, the band signals its intention to rawk, and singer/guitarist Phil Doucet's yearning yelp, which is a little bit country/a little bit punk, has never sounded more convincing. Elsewhere, the slow-burn sizzle of "Falls Down," sparked by a subtly insistent thrumming riff, builds to an anthemic climax worthy of some of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' classic raveups. And the desolate, reverb-soaked desert rock that populates the title track has a malevolent grandeur no fan of Crazy Horse will be able to resist (if you additionally hear echoes Tucson's legendary Sidewinders slithering around just under the sun-baked sand here, pat yourself on the back - and these musicians too).

Katy Mae's obviously soaked in its collective influences; one detects elements of Ô70s Southern rock, Ô80s power pop (esp. the Replacements) and of course post-Uncle Tupelo '90s alt-country. But don't think the group can be pinned down too easily, Ôcos as noted above, the songs ring true and aim straight for the heart. That they make all the cute young ladies' asses wanna shake in the process is simply icing on the cake.
~ FRED MILLS - Blurt

The latest five-track excursion from NYC’s Katy Mae showcases a beefier output than past releases thanks to the group adding a second guitar, a move that furthers this unit’s reputation of taking its rock ‘n roll seriously. Strengthened by their ability to draw from their vast influences ranging from anthemic heartland rock (”Falls Down”) and upbeat college rock (”Let Me Bring You Down”) to alt-country twang with Smithereens-like wallop (”You May Already Be a Winner”), Katy Mae blends classic rock aura with chunks of modern rock muscle to create stirring tunes with sweeping dynamics (”Dust of My Friends”), reminiscent of a powerful mix of Pearl Jam and The Who. Multi-faceted and always ready to rock, Katy Mae’s balancing act is worthy of repeated spins for anyone that can appreciate genuine rock ‘n roll that knows its roots.
~ Mike SOS - http://gearsofrock.com/

A stopgap meant to tide fans over while the band put the finishing touches on the follow up to their 2007 debut, Katy Mae's new E.P. finds the Brooklyn outfit sounding stronger than ever. Armed with the punch and twang of Uncle Tupelo and the post-punk howl of The Replacements, You May Already Be a Winner is made up of five scruffy blasts of American rock and roll. "Two Dollars Late" glows with cowpunk glory; "Falls Down" and "Dust Of Friends" bring to mind the power and crunch of Crazy Horse and the title track is a dense and wildly appealing rocker. Singer Phil Doucet is in full command here, his Westerbergian delivery as ragged and appealing as ever. With a full-length on the horizon it's safe to say there's no sophomore slump in sight.
~ Alex Green - http://www.caughtinthecarousel.com/

Some rock bands imitate their muses, while others fuse their influences to create their own sound. Then others seem to sprout out of the earth. That is Katie Mae in a nutshell. Even though their new six track EP, You May Already Be a Winner is a wide-ranging, synthesis of sounds that is not pure rock, pop, or alt-country. And while the band hails from upstate New York, this is not a 'cowpunk' band. From the bluesy opening number "Two Dollars Late" to the hard-charging closer "Let Me Bring You Down" the album is a mixture of Southern rock and early alternative, garnished with a dash of punk. There are notes of Lynard Skynard, The Heartbreakers, Crash Test Dummies and even the Gin Blossoms. But none of it seems derivative or even descended from any of these artists in any major way. The best description of it would be if Steve Earle and Doug Hopkins were thrown in a blender and mixed with essences of Joe Strummer.
Philip Doucet’s aching vocals give the album a forlorn edge. Gutknecht’s rhythmic guitar and Mark Levy’s intense, driving drum add a special urgency to the record. It is as though the band is pleading with the audience to listen to them one last time, making it difficult to put the record down
~ John Winn - Racket Magazine

Its band’s like Katy Mae that make the task of writing album reviews so much more enjoyable and being able to discover something new along the way while being able to give praise in hopes of turning others onto truly fantastic music. You May Already Be A Winner is a remarkable little six song E.P. from Brooklyn’s Katy Mae. The songs are upbeat and foot tapping, that screams “Let the good times roll!” Good old fashioned rock n’ roll is the only way of describing the sound Katy Mae has carefully and cleverly crafty. Take everything you may like about bands such as Seven Mary Three, Neil Young, Counting Crows and Wilco; blend them together and you may come pretty close to the formula that makes up this rocking sound. If you are one of those people who’s contently searching for new music, Katy Mae is hands down some of the best rock n’ roll to surface since the ’70’s, urgently add this band and this album to your list of music discovery or recommendations.
~ http://www.soundcollectivezine.com/

Katy Mae wastes no time in belting out a heady fusion of boogie rock, '70s west coast country rock and Allman Brothers stomp. Opening track "Two Dollars Late" would go over spectacularly in a corner bar on a lonely Thursday night, bottle of cheap beer in hand. "Falls Down" defiantly follows it up with a foot-tapping riff fest that might make you want to ask the bartender for a shot of whiskey to raise the stakes. Strains of Counting Crows' Adam Duritz continuously and invitingly surface in Philip Doucet‘s voice, dive back beneath the riffs, then reemerge on the other side
Final track "Let Me Bring You Down" hits harder than anything else on the disc, ending on its most powerful, immediate note. It's infused with a speedy urgency and is far more visceral than the fatiguing, mid-tempo "best of Southern rock" vibe that permeates the disc's midsection. It's the one song here that might beg you to roll down the car windows on a night drive, sing along at the top of your lungs, and accidentally end up going 20 miles over the speed limit.
~ Playback - SEE THE LIGHT

Every now and then a band comes along that blurs the lines of genres and just simply creates great music that all comers can fall in love with. Katy Mae is that band. Hard to classify? Absolutely. The country genre has fused together with rock, rock has fused together with country, then of course the little sub-genre of alt. Country now exists for those that don't want to fit either category, and the list goes on. Katy Mae walks the line between them all and has put out what has quickly become one of my favorite EP's in my collection. Though they are hard to classify, the comparisons to the likes of The Replacements, The Byrds and Wilco are easy to spot, but Katy Mae also finds a way to stand out on their own two feet. With great, relatable, story telling in their lyrics, mixed together with an outstanding vocal delivery from Phil Doucet, and catchy though simple guitar riffs this band can fill up a Lower Broadway honky-tonk in Nashville and have the place packed and they will quickly have the patrons raising their drinks to the ceiling. But, put them on stage in front of a great rock-n-roll crowd and they are going to have the same thing happening. By stretching the lines of genres and what is and what isn't acceptable amongst music today, Katy Mae has created an amazing EP with a sound unlike a lot of the other bands out there right now. For the first time in a long time, I am really excited about some new music and can't wait to hear more from Katy Mae.  
~ Guest list magazine

Past Press

MILWUAKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Katy Mae inhabit that world of music where bands like the Damnwells, The Bottlerockets and Wilco blur the line between guitar drenched alt-country and rockin' indie rock n roll. I like this world. I'd like to live in this world 24/7.

Year End Top 12 Billings Gazette 11. Katy Mae, "The Lightning and the Sun" This little band from Brooklyn tossed out a six-song EP that blows the dust off the history of rock and roll. Sounding something like Counting Crows weds R.E.M., the trio plays smart music for smart people. Their "Whirlwind" is the best song since Mark Olson left The Jayhawks.

SPLENDIDEZINE Successful bands form their sound by forming their influences into their own sharp weapon. Popular bands have rough people behind them who stick the weapon in the right people's guts. Katy Mae has a friggin' chainsaw. They started off on the right foot by going to Peter Katis, the producer behind Interpol and The Get Up Kids, for their EP. As a result, the band sound like veterans -- everything about them suggests impeccable quality. Katy Mae's distinctive alt-country sound blends Wilco with Social Distortion at their most rock-abilly. Case in point: "The Brightest Star" opens with a rolling guitar sequence, which is kept in rhythmic line by a clanky cowbell. The chorus's melody is starchy, thick and graceful; Phil Doucet sounds like he's right there in the room with you, taking a shot of whiskey and hollering his lyrics. Mark Levy's percussion manipulates the elements and builds a visual story, sending us through cloud-shrouded streets beneath an expansive night sky. In "Six Ways Down the Line", we see a softer, more reflective Katy Mae, with delicate percussion and dry guitar that intertwines with Doucet's languishing vocal. The Lightning and the Sun, the big chainsaw, needs to find an audience with the same balls that Katy Mae's music has. Once it's in the right hands, the possibilities are endless.-Ryan Humm

AMPMagazine Now this is the shit! A great little ep of six songs from this new band who plays Americana or roots rock. Picture Michael Stipe hanging out with THE BYRDS and you’ll get a good idea of what their sound is. Recommended to all those who are into the new wave of alt country (LD)

PUNK PLANET Recorded by Interpol comrade Peter Katis, this crisp EP proves Katy Mae has traveled across the Roots Rock Belt and found souvenirs-Georgia jangle and Midwest earnestness-along the way. Vocalist Phil Doucet borrows Michael Stipe’s vulnerable warble, and the band loves its Uncle Tupelo. Images of headlights, trains, and rust trudge through the lyrics. Doesn’t becomes don’t. Katy Mae don’t rebuild that old alt-country pickup out front, but it does wax it until it shines. (JM)

Mundanesounds.com Very rare is it that I will compare a band to REM, and when I do, it's often not a favorable comparison. But after listening to The Lightning and the Sun, the debut EP by New York's Katy Mae, I have to rethink that policy. It's safe to say that the three fellows of Katy Mae have a soft spot for the rootsy music of the mid to late 1980s, most specifically REM and Uncle Tupelo. Katy Mae's music is so contemporary with that era, they sound as if theyjust mysteriously appeared out of 1985. Though The Lightning and the Sun is quite brief, it's not devoid of strength. Lead singer Phil Doucet sings with a pained yelp that instantly reminds of vintage Michael Stipe, and drummer Mark Levy and bassist Brad Hill provide a powerful crunch to his pop stylings. Whether it's the country-rock ramblings of "The Brightest Star" or the jangling guitars on "Whirlwind," or the rolling bass on "I Could Crush You With The Weight of My Heart," the band's power is quite obvious, and it's damn near impossible not to fall hard for this little band. Don't believe me? Well, if you still have your doubts, then don't listen to the powerful "Safe and Sound." Katy Mae's a great young band with a great sound, and The Lightning and the Sun is a wonderful (but too damn brief) EP. Bring on that full length, boys! --Joseph Kyle

Independentsonly.com I remember when I got my first taste of "alternative music" back in the late eighties. Turned onto tapes by R.E.M., The Pixies and Hoodoo Gurus. I loved the feeling of something completely different. That feeling returned when I received "The Lightning & The Sun" by Brooklyn's Katy Mae. Honest and hard working with songwriting from a place deep within the heart. Each track barrels through a whirlwind of rhythms and a wall of guitar that may just open a few minds to a new experience in this sometimes-uneventful world of music. Often with a western feel, Katy Mae may very well be your new favorite band! R.I.Y.L.: old R.E.M., Hoodoo Gurus, Pavement- Monk

BILLINGS GAZETTE There are so many bands crowding the alt-country corral these days that about half of them sound just the same. And, the other half is trying to sound like Son Volt. A great band needs a hook, a fresh, distinctive voice, some songs that stick, a transcendent energy. Katy Mae shows off all of those things on this short but sensational 6-song debut EP. Sounding something like Counting Crows gone to Whiskytown College, this New York-based trio plays smart music for smart people, as well as drunk people and the newly broken hearted. From the head-whipping opener, "The Brightest Star," to the twangy melancholy of "Six Ways Down," Katy Mae covers the history of rock 'n' roll. Then comes the Jayhawks-esque "Whirlwind" and "I Could Crush You With the Weight of My Heart." Then, just when you think you've got them figured comes the sweetly tortured "Foghorn." - Chris Jorgensen

HARP MAGAZINE Harkening back a few years to the alt. country era when the Bottle Rockets and 6-String Drag reigned supreme, Katy Mae make electric-twanging bar rock for failed lovers. The Brooklyn, NY trio rip through opening tracks "The Brightest Star" and "Whirlwind" with the blue-collar fury of West Coast rootsters Radio Nationals while "Safe and Sound" employs some Still Feel Gone-style rhythm changes and "Foghorn" borrows early REM strumming. Every song equal parts beer-guzzler and tear-jerker. BRIAN J. BARR

PLAYGIRL MAGAZINE: Dubbed the “New American Traditionalists”, Katy Mae is true rock and roll. Their EP The Lightning and the Sun is lovelorn and wistful in “Whirlwind” and “Foghorn” and pure energetic rock heard in “Safe and Sound” and “The Brightest Star”. Their always powerful sound showcases their immense song crafting talents in the alt-country genre. Toe Tapping, sing-out loud songs.- Michele Zipp

CHARTATTACK: Sometimes you can judge a band by their name and their cover. New York's Katy Mae buck the trend, though, delivering not southern redneck rock, but instead a handful of roots-infused songs with contemporary touches. Dubbing themselves "new American traditionalists," lead singer Phil Doucet's voice bears more than a striking resemblance to Counting Crows' Adam Duritz. However, Katy Mae's trump card is their underlying modern edge, which was aided by Interpol producer Peter Katis. It's this edge that infuses the rolling bass in "I Could Crush You With The Weight Of My Heart" and the runaway-train feel of "Safe And Sound." Keep an eye on these fellas. Shannon Whibbs

SKRATCHMAGAZINE: One part country, one part alternative, and two parts rock. What do you get? A great-sounding band from New York City called Katy Mae. If you listen to bands like Counting Crows or Gin Blossoms, then Katy Mae will be a group you'll fall in love with. Great musicianship, talented vocals, and catchy song structures make this one of the most listener-friendly records I've heard in a while. Go check 'em out!-ADF

EARCANDY: Busting out of Brooklyn with an alternative country twang, Katy Mae call their brand of no-frills rock 'n' roll jangle the sounds of New American Traditionalists, and the description is quite fitting. With nods to Wilco, Jayhawks, and The Who, this trio pull no punches and hit harder than they have to, sounding as if they drink and party twice as hard. If that's not a recipe for a down-home rockin' time, then what is? Combining a Texas two-step with a hard-rock crunch, Katy Mae is a band poised to bring the sounds of smalltown heartache to the big city.- Mike SOS

READ MAG: Alt-Country, not my most favorite genre, is made interesting by Katy Mae with rockabilly speed, pop songwriting and tight musicianship. And they’ve got a cowbell.