In spring 2021, the word came that Infinity Cat Recordings was coming to a close. The independent label, launched by JEFF the Brotherhood’s Jake and Jamin Orrall and their dad, songwriter and visual artist Robert Ellis Orrall, had been a pillar of the independent music scene in Nashville for nearly 20 years. But all of the Orralls had moved elsewhere, and other labels have taken up the mantle.
The JEFF the Brotherhood 7-inch of “Garbage Man” was to be the last new release from the label — but not the last one ever. The iCat store has remained open as various rarities have been unearthed. And, as Bob Orrall hinted last year, there were still some archival projects to come. One of those was to produce something special for the label’s 20th birthday.
Wednesday marked 20 years since Jake and Jamin’s pre-JEFF band The Sex played a show at long-gone Guido’s Pizzeria, which was recorded and released as the label’s first catalog entry. To celebrate, Infinity Cat has produced a limited run of two of the Bogus Bros’ best-loved releases — which immediately preceded the band’s deal with Warner Bros. that they were glad to see end in 2015 — on a format that vanished around the time of the first Reagan administration. You can now preorder JEFF’s 2009 album Heavy Days and its 2011 follow-up We Are the Champions on 8-track cassette.
“Thanks to our friend Alejandro Chouza at 5Seven,” read the notes on the iCat site, “we have a very limited offering of ‘Heavy Days’ and ‘We Are The Champions’ with outer sleeves and bonus photos inside! You don't have an 8-track player? You can find one in your parents attic, thrift stores, or on eBay. Or just keep these beautiful works of art on the shelf while you listen to these classic JTB albums on your favorite streamer.”
Once upon a time, we at the Cream might have run this story as an April Fool’s joke, but it’s the truth. The aforementioned cartridges can be yours — per the store, one per customer, please — for $40 each.
Meanwhile, Infinity Cat has also pressed haunted-folksters Cake Bake Betty’s 2006 album Songs About Teeth to vinyl for the first time, and it's available for preorder. The label did produce limited vinyl editions of Jake Orrall’s recent solo album Apology Jazz and the curious new JEFF album Ye Olde…, which Jake mentioned when he spoke with Charlie Zaillian ahead of JEFF’s pre-Thanksgiving show at Exit/In last year. Vinyl has sold out, but you can still stream the albums or buy a digital copy via Earthbound Sound on Bandcamp.
