First/Last-Soft Cat

"Soft Cat carry quite the namesake, their gentle rhythms and brightly orchestrated folk music can easily be as comforting and as therapeutic as cozying up tight and engulfing yourself with every emotion possible. Soft Cat produce the type of music that you want to hide away and immerse yourself in, delicate melodies lay softly atop rich arrangements that create densely packed layers of music to peel back with each subsequent listen through." - Grant Golden (Paste)

Check out the band on Facebook and BandCamp. The Maryland band who have been compared to Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens was featured on the Paste 50 States Project. Their latest album is the gorgeous "Lost No Labor" from April of this year and I want to thank Neil Sanzgiri (Classical Guitar/Percussion/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
‘High Fidelity Soundtrack’ and Nirvana's “Bleach” simultaneously at a used CD store.

Your last album bought?
Small Sur “Labor”.

Favorite album of all time?
Nick Drake “Pink Moon”, Slowdive “Souvlaki”, Vashti Bunyan “Just Another Diamond Day”, John Coltrane “Ole Coltrane”, Eluvium “Copia”.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Hmm... I can't really say because if I didn't like it very much, I probably don't remember it.

First concert attended?
Consciously... I think the first show I went to was this British pop-punk band called Ash.

Last concert?
You mean where I didn't know the performer's personally and it was at a large venue or bar? I went to see Jonathan Richman in February and that was pretty stellar. He improvised the whole set, spoke in three different languages, and seemed to not have any real reason to tour other than the fact that he liked playing to people.

Favorite concert ever?
Honestly, because nothing else is standing out to me right now I would have to say our album release party for “Lost No Labor” was incredible and featured some of my favorite performers including Daniel Bachman, Louis Weeks, Sianna Plavin and Amanda Glasser. It was a really beautiful night with great chefs cooking up a storm, delicious alcoholic beverages, lots of flowers and blankets and a bonfire at the end.

Least favorite concert?
Uhh, there are some pretty nasty ones we've played before. Nothing off the top of my head that I can remember unfortunately.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Our cello player, Kate Barutha, is actually from Pittsburgh. She has nothing but amazing things to say about it. Hope to play there one day.

Thanks, Neil. Love that your favorite show was one of yours. How memorable it must be to have experienced something like that.