The Wide-Eyed Lounge Cats (WELC) have unveiled their highly anticipated third studio album, “The Watermelon Sessions,” now available on all major streaming platforms. Their debut single from the album made waves, amassing an impressive 7,000 streams and achieving a remarkable 33% save rate on Spotify within its first week of release.
Bassist Reggie Stiteler, the electric-upright virtuoso of the band, shared his enthusiasm: “The energy of our monthly residency at The Cat’s Eye Pub is spilling into the interwebs.”
The band has carved a unique niche for themselves with their distinctive arrangements and unorthodox compositions. Their first two albums, “Le Cirque” (2020) and “Cats in a Coal Mine” (2021), garnered critical acclaim, even earning them a feature in Relix Magazine’s January/February 2022 “On the Rise” issue and a nomination at the 2021 London Music Video Awards for “Fantasy.”
Beyond their studio work, The Wide-Eyed Lounge Cats are renowned for their festival tours and captivating live performances. Their monthly residencies at Bertha’s Mussels and Cat’s Eye Pub in Fells Point, both historic landmarks in the annals of Baltimore’s jazz, blues, and soul live music scene, have cemented their presence in the city’s vibrant musical landscape.
“The Watermelon Sessions” serves as a heartfelt tribute to their studio and practice space, aptly named The Watermelon Room. This Baltimore recording studio has not only witnessed their growth as musicians but also played host to the creation of all their musical works.
The album symbolizes an extraordinary journey of composition and collaboration, marking their evolution from jam band roots into the captivating realm of jazz fusion.
Stream Full album below.
