# Artist of the Week – Sol Cat

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2015/05/artist-of-the-week-sol-cat/
- Published: 2015-05-09T11:01:16-04:00
- Author: indierocker

Since their formation in 2012, the suave **Nashville** pop groove band with the 
cool name, **Sol Cat**, has built up a regional following in their home state of
Tennessee and beyond.

But next month, the band, which has toured with The Weeks, Reptar, Rubble Bucket
and Turbo Fruits, among others, will play their biggest gig yet at one of the most
popular music festivals in North America – **Bonnaroo**.

That’s a big deal for any band, especially considering that most festival goers 
will hear the band for the first time when Sol Cat takes the stage on June 14th 
in **Manchester** – practically in their backyard. The band won a BMI-sponsored ‘
Road to Bonnaroo’ battle of the bands in February, after coming in second in the
competition for three years in a row.

Combining melodic, yet understated, guitar riffs with grooving keys, pop infusions,
sensual vocals, and smooth rhythmic beats, Sol Cat have created, in a way, their
own unique sound. It’s a tricky task to categorize it, which is actually refreshing.
Songs like “Body Like That” and “Bread on the Table,” from the band’s _Body Like
That_ EP, set to drop on May 12th, are sure to sway drunk and stoned crowds at Bonnaroo.
The band of 20-somethings makes no bones about their beer-soaked, pot smoked party-
fueled lifestyle.

Some critics, and band members, have alluded to the fact that Sol Cat could be more
well known by now if they hadn’t struggled with their sonic identity over the past
few years and frequent line-up changes. In fact, Sol Cat had cycled through three
bassists before deciding to go forward without a bass player; at least for the immediate
future.

Related Post:  Artist of the Week: DIY Singer/Songwriter Brent Nettles

Since it’s not so easy to put into words, we turned to the band to describe their
sound. Guitarist **Johny Fisher** list Sol Cat’s style as a “combination of psychedelic,
jungle and groovesrock,” elaborating that “there isn’t a one perfect effigy to reference
for Sol Cat…it’s at once some old school 70’s groove and some new-now atmospheric
bumping that you would find just as at ease in a beer-strewn pool barn as you would[
at] a moonlit festival where everyone is covered in Day-Glo.”

Fisher said the band’s top musical influences include **Toro Y Moi, Tame Impala,
The Strokes ** and **The Doors**. Sol Cat dropped their self-titled [debut album](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/sol-cat)
in February 2013, a three-track EP, Welcome to Cowabunga that following October 
and are set to drop their new EP on Tuesday, followed with a sophomore full-length
later this year. They’ve also performed at SXSW and will perform at the Austin City
Limits Festival in the fall.

The other band members include vocalist **Brett Hammann**; **Jeremy Clark** on keys;**
Jaan Cohen** on guitar; **Tom Meyers** on drums. With the exception of Meyers, the
four other members of Sol Cat met while attending **Belmont University**.

[“Body Like That“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Body%20Like%20That%20-%20SolCat.mp3)–**
Sol Cat** from _Body Like That_ EP – May 12th

[“Bread on the Table“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Bread%20on%20the%20Table-SolCat.mp3)–**
Sol Cat** from _Body Like That_ EP

Here are a couple of tracks from their self-titled debut LP:

[“Dirty Glasses“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/G9zA_lKiT88) – **
Sol Cat** from _Sol Cat_ (via YouTube)

**Sol Cat official website**

 

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