This album was made with the support of the Canadian Government Department of Heritage. One would have thought such an organisation would have found better cultural projects than this in which to invest.

"It Began / Ended with Sparks" by Cary Pratt aka Prairie Cat (get it?) is an ill-conceived album, with tracks so alike they run, dribbling, into one another, inanely repetitious, sickly cute juvenile lyrics and Cary Pratt’s monotonous voice. In short, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, which lifts this album from the lower end of musical mediocrity.

What may initially have been an attempt to comment on a partnership break-up with cynicism and irony comes across as a boring, depressive dirge. Mind you, track titles like 'Just Cuz', 'Given Up' and 'Get Off' don’t inspire optimism.


Every so often though, a tiny ray of potential arises: something surprising and new presents itself and the heart leaps – maybe, after all, this album does have something to set it apart? In more able hands 'It Began/Ended With Sparks' and 'Sun Away' could have been developed into something genuinely original, as could the least tedious but still mind-numbing 'Just Cuz'. No, this album is going no-where except recycling.

"It Began/Ended with Sparks" has had a good deal of money invested in it, clear from the album’s mastering and presentation. Some of its artwork is very good indeed (but wasted here) although the cover is as dire as the CD itself. I liked the percussion and the horns on 'We Tried', but really we’re scraping the barrel.

The Canadian Government’s funds have been wasted on Prairie Cat, who is as vicious a musical commentator as a stuffed moggy with a clockwork mouse. Don’t give up the day job, son.