Fantastic Cat Releases New Album 'Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat'
Fantastic Cat first came together in 2022 for their award-eligible debut, The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat.
By: Josh Sharpe Jun. 07, 2024
Against all odds, Fantastic Cat has successfully released their highly unanticipated sophomore album, Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat, out today via Missing Piece Records. The band marked the release with the official video for “So Glad You Made It,” starring Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz (who contributed vocals to the track) and hip hop legend DMC (who said yes to being in the video for some reason).
Tonight, “the supergroup you need to know” (Rolling Stone) kicks off their summer tour with hometown album release blowout at Brooklyn Made, and tomorrow, the feline foursome will make their return to CBS Saturday Morning for a three-song performance. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit their website.
“‘So Glad You Made It’ is a perfect example of this band operating at its finest,” says Don DiLego. “I originally wrote the song with a fairly straightforward arrangement, but over the course of one rehearsal, it transformed into a lost 70’s Faces b-side. In classic FC style, we put our least capable drummer in charge of the backbeat and made a ridiculous video that’s sure to keep everyone’s egos in check.”
The release follows last night’s listening party and virtual adoption event, in which the band teamed up with the Animal Care Centers of New York to premiere the full album and help find forever homes for cats in NYC’s biggest shelter system.
“A lot of people said we couldn’t make a second album, or rather that we shouldn’t make a second album,” says Anthony D’Amato. “It turns out they were right, but at least we helped some cats in the process.”
Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat has earned early praise everywhere from Rolling Stone (who called it “gloriously fun” and “a breath of fresh air”) to Q (who hailed its “beautiful harmonies” and “honky tonk Americana storytelling”). Magnet Magazine, meanwhile, declared the band’s bio “essentially useless,” which is totally fair, so here’s a quick primer if you’re new:
Featuring four different instrument-swapping singer/songwriters who’ve appeared everywhere from NPR’s Tiny Desk and the New York Times to Bonnaroo and Cayamo, Fantastic Cat—lead singer Brian Dunne, lead singer Anthony D’Amato, lead singer Don DiLego, and lead singer Mike Montali—first came together in 2022 for their award-eligible debut, The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat, which Rolling Stone dubbed “a wildly satisfying collection” and “equal doses of Dylan and Springsteen.” The record earned the group their national TV debut on CBS Saturday Morning, sold out headline dates around the US and Europe, a performance at the Sundance Film Festival, and a song in the Paramount+ series Tulsa King. Last year, the velvet-suited quartet collaborated with all-star producer Butch Walker on a 50th anniversary recording of “Band On The Run,” and this year, they hit the road with Low Cut Connie for an extensive US tour that included dates in legendary rooms like The Fillmore and The Troubadour. Also they’re very young and handsome.
Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat tracklist:
1) Oh Man!
2) Little Bit Broken
3) Later On
4) So Glad You Made It
5) The Hammer & The Nail
6) I Don’t Know Why
7) Go All Night
8) Edinburgh
9) Sometimes Your Heroes Let You Down
10) All My Fault
11) Head Down, Shots Fired
Tour Dates:
6/7 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Made
6/8 – Amagansett, NY – Stephen Talkhouse
6/9 - Red Bank, NJ - Jack’s Music Shoppe - Acoustic In-Store
6/12 – Hershey, PA – The Englewood
6/13 – Hagerstown, MD – Hub City Vinyl
6/14 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
6/15 – Asheville, NC – Pisgah Brewing Co
6/16 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
6/18 – Elkton, MD – Elkton Music Hall
6/19 – Wayne, PA – 118 North
6/20 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
6/21 – Greenfield, MA – Green River Festival
6/23 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage
6/27 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met
6/28 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
6/29 – Katonah, NY – American Roots Music Festival
8/2-3 - Appleton, WI - Mile of Music
8/6 - Bethlehem, PA -Bethlehem Musikfest
8/7 – Woodbridge, NJ – Woodbridge Summer Concert Series
8/8 - Cumberland, MD - Levitt AMP
8/10 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
8/13 - Exton, PA - Eagleview
8/14 – Washington, DC – The Hamilton
8/25 - Chesterfield, MO - Break Room
8/26 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
8/27 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
8/28 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi
8/29 - Cleveland, OH - Music Box
9/27-29 - Sisters, OR – Sisters Folk Festival
10/13 - Groningen, NL - SPOT Groningen
10/14 - Amen, NL - Cafe De Amer
10/16 - Hagen, DE - Gaststätte Stock
10/17 - Sønderborg, DK - Sønderborghus
10/20 - Den Bosch, NL - Willem Twee Poppodium
10/22 - Leiden, NL - Qbus Club
1/26-31/25 - Miami, FL – The Rock Boat XXIV
Photo Credit: Vivian Wang
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