Biography

Trauma Cat, hailing from Syracuse, NY, call themselves “America’s sorriest power trio” — at once a superlative and a Primus-like self-own befitting of the strange, tongue-in-cheek musicians at the group’s core. Co-fronted by guitarist Ralph Kojig and bassist Roman Pando with drummer Rutger DiBoyere, Trauma Cat’s sound is the bastard child of CAKE and TOOL, or a modern American answer to XTC — a collage of art rock and progressive rock with shades of post-punk, shoegaze, and powerpop. Lyrically, Kojig’s and Pando’s songs often reflect on religion, death, and the internet. Trauma Cat self-released their debut album, Prepare to Apologize, in 2021. Co-produced by the band and St. Julian P. Dingus, PTA marked the band's arrival as an ambitious DIY act to watch. Indie critics cited the group’s Ween-ish sense of humor and technical skill, calling the album “an irreverent and eclectic gem” (NYSMusic) with “detailed lyricism and dynamic instrumental soundscapes” (BuzzMusic). The record, NYSMusic continues, introduced listeners to Trauma Cat’s “hilarious take on the music biz” with a persona evoking “a combination of punk pioneers DEVO and Saturday morning cartoon favorites Josie and the Pussycats.” In 2022, the trio released a satirical docuseries, “The Truth About Trauma Cat,” followed by another full-length album, The Truth Doesn't Live Here. The record doubles down on Trauma Cat’s eclectic sound, whilst exploring psych rock, pop-punk, electro-funk, and Genesis-era synth pop.