Fun music for anyone who appreciates a good melody with their wit and wisdom.

7 MP3 Songs
POP: Quirky, EASY LISTENING: Orchestral Pop

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Itâs funny how a single movie can inspire us to pursue our dreams. âKeyboard Cathyâ Wiegand wandered into the 2005 film adaptation of Douglas Adamsâ The Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy and walked out not itching to travel through space, but humming âSo Long & Thanks for All the Fish,â the whimsical end credits song by Irish singer Neil Hannonâwho just so happens to be the frontman of one of her favorite groups, The Divine Comedy.

In follow-up to her debut album, "Inspiration," Cathy's irresistible new seven song EP Sushi Lover features âSo Long & Thanks For All The Fishâ (in case you missed it the first time!), revamped takes of âEternityâ and âGive a Little More,â the brand new âMiracle Workerâ (an incisive satire about her former life in the corporate world) and two versions of her trademark âSushi Loverââthe original and a high spirited, âextra spicyâ house remix by the San Antonio band Hyperbubble.

When âKeyboard Cathyâ initially put together her often visited myspace page, she picked the categories of âpop,â âshowtunesâ and âotherâ; all of them apply to some degree, but none truly capture the magical mix of heartfelt songwriting and witty observational storytelling that defines the New Jersey based performerâs diverse repertoire. Itâs part Neil Hannon and The Divine Comedy with a twist of Rufus Wainwright. Others say her songs remind them of a cross between The Carpenters and a classic TV theme songâthat says something about her beautiful, expressive voice and instantly catchy melodies. Still others call it âprogressive rock.â

She grew up singing in high school and community theatre musicals, so thereâs a certain theatricality to it. âGolden Child,â in fact, recently received Honorable Mention in the Broadway/Cabaret category of the Unisong International Songwriting Contest. However, her music is also straightforward singer/songwriter pop and donât forget her obsession with fish. âThe minute I left The Hitchhikerâs Guide, I went to the record store, bought the soundtrack and became obsessed with finding out about the guy who was singing that song,â she says. âI did an internet search on Neil and discovered that he was the lead singer of The Divine Comedy, which is funny because someone who had heard some of my earlier music had compared my style to theirs.

âHe writes music thatâs like showtunes and movie soundtracks but itâs also pop, and thatâs exactly what my style is like,â she adds. âOnce I started listening to more of his music, I was able to finish âSushi Lover.â I love sushi and always wanted to write a funny song about it. The idea of recording a full album project came naturally after that. Music has always been a hobby of mine, but I am aware that a lot of independent artists now have the means to translate that into full time careers.â

âKeyboard Cathyââwho earned her colorful nickname when she showed up at a benefit rehearsal for the first time with her new Roland E-600âwrites and sings about other things besides edible raw fish. âEternityâ is a bold, powerful love song that was inspired by the film Ghost, while âGive a Little Moreâ urges everyone to be as charitable as possible. For the most part, Cathy enjoyed her years working in a multicultural marketing position at a major financial services companyâbut âMiracle Worker,â her biting take on corporate politics and the boss looking for the perfect assistant, makes it clear she had some issues.

With a Bachelorâs in communication and languages from Rutgers and an MBA from Farleigh Dickinson University, âKeyboard Cathyâ just might be the smartest, most literate âsushi loving chick in a suitâ youâll ever see performing at open mics, clubs and senior citizen centers around her home base of Hopewell Township, New Jersey. The song âSo Long & Thanks for All the Fishâ is about dolphins jumping into space when they realize the world is about to end. Likewise, âKeyboard Cathyâ is ready to take off and conquer the heads and hearts of folks who appreciate a good melody with their wit and wisdom.

âItâs great having the freedom to write songs that are fun and quirky without worrying about how people will perceive you,â she says. âIâm inspired by artists like Neil Hannon and Rufus Wainwright who follow their own muses and have developed loyal followings that appreciate their music. I think the more people hear what I do, the more they will connect with where Iâm coming from as an artist. I love making people happy with music, and itâs nice to give them something new in a style that they probably havenât heard before.â

People who are interested in Rufus Wainwright The Divine Comedy Kristin Chenoweth should consider this download.