Former ECHO writer and Beaver Area alum Trent Liptak has been paving the way forward in his music career recently, with three albums released under his name over the past year or so, the most recent being Catching Tigers in Red Weather. This album was released February 21.
I’ve always enjoyed Trent’s stuff in the past, even his work under a different name, and so read on for review of a couple of his projects . . .
Just before Dawn - Released 2024
Just before dawn is my favorite Trent release with some amazing songs front to back. This album is actually a combination of an EP of the same name as well as a two-song single that was released a bit later, with a few others thrown in.
The album depends on its great guitar riffs and unique vocal performances and production, and it runs around 28 minutes long with eight songs. The strongest three songs throughout this album are The Vampire Barn Owl Love Song, I’m Not Sayin’, and Sunday Morning. In fact, Sunday Morning is one of if not my favorite Trent song. It’s a solid album, plus it’s pretty short, so it’s a totally recommended easy and quick listen. 9/10
An Appeal to Cats in the Business of Love - Released 2024
Trent’s second album isn’t as strong of a release and represents a change in style, certainly. It relies on a softer, more unique feel which doesn’t resonate with me as well as his previous album. However, it’s a good showcase of Trent’s maturity as an artist showing that he’s been able to discover his own style more and feel comfortable there.
It’s a calmer album, but there are definitely some shared characteristics between the two, and it’s still a relatively enjoyable listen. He could have benefitted from a little less jarring style change, but it’s good music nonetheless. 6/10
Catching Tigers in Red Weather - Released 2025
While it’s not exactly a return to Trent’s previous sound, Catching Tigers is definitely a return to form. I like the sound and how he applies it in this album a bit more, and it’s a solid full-length release. Trent notes that it’s an album “about going to bed,” it captures the almost dreamy feel with Trent’s signature elements mixed in really well.
It’s another showcase to his maturity as an artist, and his bandcamp CDs are selling pretty well, so it shows that other people agree, and hopefully this will give him more traction in the music world. 7/10
It’s good to see Trent doing well in music, and I’m sure all of us at the ECHO wish him well for his further projects. Check out his music through his pages on streaming services under “Trent Liptak,” or his merchandise that you can find through the bandcamp link on his music instagram, trent.liptak.