Fantastic Cat
Fantastic Cat | |
|---|---|
 Fantastic Cat performing in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | Americana, Folk rock, Indie rock, Country music |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Labels | Blue Rose Music, Missing Piece Records |
| Members | Anthony D'Amato, Brian Dunne, Don DiLego, Mike Montali |
| Website | https://www.fantasticcatband.com/ |
Fantastic Cat is an indie music supergroup consisting of Anthony D'Amato, Brian Dunne, Don DiLego, and Mike Montali.[1]
History[edit]
Fantastic Cat was conceived as a project between Mike Montali (of Hollis Brown) and Don DiLego who wanted to form a "four singer-songwriter" group.[2] The band claim's their name comes from a waitress in a bar who when asked what she would name a band responded with "Fantastic Cat."[3] Brian Dunne was brought in along with Mike Montali and Don DiLego to record the group's early music at DiLego's recording studio in the Pocono Mountains, and Anthony D'Amato joined via recording remotely from his home in Colorado due to travel restrictions from the COVID-19 Pandemic.[2] Artist Jane Beaird illustrated the band depicting them as anthropomorphic cats for the first EP record release in 2021, which has become reoccurring iconography in following releases by the group.[4]
Fantastic Cat's first LP The Very Best of Fantastic Cat released in 2022, produced by Joe Poletto with Michael Hesslein, Tyler Rigdon, Randdy Schrager, and Andrew Zehnal as additional musicians.[5] The cover art features the band members photographed by Shervin Lainez. The album cover's blurb parodies prior rock bands with multiple singer-songwriters claiming comically it had "never been done" before listing several famous supergroups such as The Beatles and The Highwaymen. Reviewer Jon Young for No Depression favorably compared the album's opening track "C'mon Armageddon" to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and it's protest message against former US president Donald Trump.[6] Reviewer Shawn Donohue made comparisons of the album to the music of Delta Spirit, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne and Monsters of Folk.[7] In an enthusiastic review for Americana Highways, critic John Moore stated "If there is any justice in this world, this would be the first in a series of shows, followed by another record. Even the Traveling Wilburys gave us two albums (and The Highwaymen gave us three)."[8] Fantastic Cat would perform several songs from the album on CBS Saturday Morning in August 2022.[9][4]
Fantastic Cat throughout 2023 would issue singles covering Warren Zevon's "Keep Me in Your Heart" and Paul McCartney and Wings' "Band on the Run".[10][11] A vinyl exclusive EP titled Live at The Bowery Ballroom was self-published by Fantastic Cat in 2023 with the humorous claim it was a "Japanese import" from a factory that was destroyed by Godzilla after pressing only 250 copies of the record.[12]
Fantastic Cat announced their second LP Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat in 2024 with the release of a music video for "All My Fault" parodying VHS dating services.[13]
Discography[edit]
Studio Albums
- The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat (2022)
- Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat (2024)[13]
EPs
- Fantastic Cat EP (2021)[1]
- Live at The Bowery Ballroom (2023)
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Fantastic Cat (2) Discography". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Benetiz-Eves, Tina (2021). "When Four Singer-Songwriters Unite, One 'Fantastic Cat' is Born". americansongwriter.com. American Songwriter. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Zimmerman, Lee (August 14, 2022). "Fantastic Cat: Funky Felines On The Prowl". rockandrollglobe.com. Rock and Roll Globe. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Beaird, Jane (2022). "FANTASTIC CAT". janebeaird.com. Jane Beaird. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Fantastic Cat (July 29, 2022). The Very Best of Fantastic Cat (Media notes). Blue Rose Music.
- ^ Young, Jon (July 27, 2022). "ALBUM REVIEW: Team Spirit and Thoughtful Songcraft Animate 'The Very Best of Fantastic Cat'". nodepression.com. No Depression. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Donohue, Shawn (July 28, 2022). "Fantastic Cat Crawl Out Easy Rolling 'The Band' Inspired Debut Offering 'The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat' (ALBUM REVIEW)". glidemagazine.com. Glide Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Moore, John (July 27, 2022). "REVIEW: Fantastic Cat "The Very Best Of"". americanahighways.org. Americana Highways. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
If there is any justice in this world, this would be the first in a series of shows, followed by another record. Even the Traveling Wilburys gave us two albums (and The Highwaymen gave us three).
- ^ "CBS Saturday Morning Episode #11.33". imdb.com. IMDB. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (March 7, 2023). "Warren Zevon's 'Keep Me in Your Heart' Gets Covered by Men Wearing Cat Masks and It's Superb". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (December 5, 2023). "See Fantastic Cat — Dudes Who Wear Cat Masks and Suits — Cover 'Band on the Run' With Butch Walker". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "Live At The Bowery Ballroom 7" Vinyl EP". fantasticcatband. Fantastic Cat. 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
Pressed on luxurious gold vinyl, this rare Japanese import is a collector's dream featuring four spine-tingling performances (including two previously unreleased songs) captured live at The Bowery Ballroom. Only 250 were made before the pressing plant was destroyed in what authorities have described as a routine Godzilla stomping.
- ^ a b Hudak, Joseph (March 25, 2024). "Don't Date These Men: Fantastic Cat Are Cringey Singles in New 'All My Fault' Video". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
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