Gypsy folk singer Johnny Habu takes a page out of Gogol Bordello’s musical playbook with this manic song that starts with some simply acoustic guitar and steadily picks up temp. “I’m really good at petting cats/I can make them purr so fast,” Habu sings in a distinctly raspy voice before going into details about his technique. “Never ignore the chest!,” he yells mid-song. With its wailing saxophone and catcalls, it’s a real wild time.

This article appears in Jan 7-13, 2015.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.