Cay were the second band I ever saw play live (preceded by a band called Subcircus and followed by Feeder, who were headlining and the reason we'd gone to our very first gig). They also ended up being the first band I saw play twice, as they played early on the Sunday of Reading Festival in 2000. It's a strange that such accolades are for a band who ultimately didn't achieve very much.
In writing this, I wondered what happened to them after that second time I saw them, and Wikipedia tells me that drugs and infighting became their thing and then they kind of disappeared; a classic after-effect of a rise to fame too fast (they won Best British Newcomer at Kerrang!, as the sticker on the sleeve states). Most shocking to read was that the singer died five years ago after being hit by a train. I'd never really thought what might have happened to them after their brief fame until now, but it's sad that it all went quite so wrong.
I picked up this copy of their only album in Selectadisc in Nottingham for £1 (not the only British album from around that time I bought for £1, although Ideas Above Our Station was a much more significant record). It was 2003 and I'd already forgotten about Cay. I remember some friends becoming big fans when we saw them in 1999 and raving about the album. For £1 I figured it was rude to not at least check it.
The openers to each side - Better Than Myself and Neurons Like Brandy - were always the highlights back in the day and still hold up fairly well now. Princes & Princesses keeps the album moving, but the title track as the third song slows things down sooner than I think is ideal; it's got a reasonable chorus mind you. I remember Dragonfly being annoying back in the day - like they were trying to channel Sonic Youth but failing. Overall, there are a few songs that are more enjoyable than I remember but that are also a lot of annoying and too-slow moments (particularly on side-B) that ruin the flow for me. In short, there's nothing terrible about Nature Creates Freaks (except maybe the title) but there was also not enough to give the longevity to survive any amount of time.
Format: 12", picture sleeve
Tracks: 11
Cost: £1 new
Bought: Selectadisc, Nottingham
When: 20/02/03
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: no
