Yes, it's all true -- Lennon and new buddy Nilsson cut a swath across LA in 1974, getting drunk, insulting the Smothers Brothers, fooling around, and ostensibly working on this record and Walls and Bridges.

Time has improved on both records. Maybe it was the endless budget, maybe the drugs and booze, or perhaps just the remarkable talent of those involved, but Pussy Cats sounds pretty darn good -- "Subterranean Homesick Blues" comes off as edgy, punky riff; "Old Forgotten Soldier" has the classic, charming Nilsson sound; "All My Life" has Nilsson's trademark humor.

But where this record stands out is on "Save the Last Dance for Me," with John's Phil Spectorish production, mixed with a full-throated exemplary Nilsson vocal, turning this 50s chestnut into an elegant swan song to days gone by. Add the Lennon-penned ditty "Mucho Mongo," which presages Nilsson's later, lighter RCA records, and you have a great record, marred by reputation, waiting to be heard again with fresh ears.

If you like Nilsson and Lennon, this disc is fabulous. It's like part 2 of Lennon's Walls & Bridges 74 disc. I've got the 25th anniversary issue version of Pussy Cats and it's got the bonus tracks. The track Down by the Sea is extremely emotional. If you are sentimental and like remembering where we've come, this song will grab you and choke you up. It's a crusher for existentialists of music. The Lennon influence in sound is throughout the disc. You can even hear him help with the background singing. Nilsson's voice was getting shot by these days, but it adds another dimension, kind of like when Harrison was hoarse and recorded anyway. This disc sounds cleaned up from the original version. It comes with lot's of information of the sessions. If 74 was a good period for you musically, or if you miss Nilsson and or Lennon, get this!