The Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. Their sound has been described as a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock with heavy Latin / Salsa influences (not to mention reggae, ska and dub). Currently, the Cat Empire consists of Ollie McGill (keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro (bass and backing vocals), Felix Riebl (percussion and vocals), Harry James Angus (trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion). Read Full BioThe Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. Their sound has been described as a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock with heavy Latin / Salsa influences (not to mention reggae, ska and dub). Currently, the Cat Empire consists of Ollie McGill (keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro (bass and backing vocals), Felix Riebl (percussion and vocals), Harry James Angus (trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion). A strong, recurrent theme of their music is the rejection of materialism, war, and intolerance and an enthusiastic embrace of cultural diversity and the simple, carefree life.
The Cat Empire began as a trio with McGill, Riebl, and Monro in late 1999, and started playing a wide variety of gigs in Melbourne. The band soon expanded in 2001, adding Angus, Hull-Brown, and Khadiwala.
THE Cat Empire's message, on stage and in the studio, has always been about breaking down borders: musical, geographic, lingual. But they have never done it so powerfully as they do on their new album, Cinema. The album serves up a set which captures the inexorable force - and sheer joy - of their live performances, delivered in a format perfect for lounge-rooms, backyards, BBQ’s, cafes, road trips and parties all over the world.
Cinema, the band's fourth studio album, is a dazzling statement of a band at a peak of its powers, music designed to move the body and the mind. Right from the opening track, Waiting, this is music that leaps from the speakers.
All the elements that people love about The Cat Empire are there but the result is brighter, bolder. And yes, more cinematic. What grabs the ear immediately is that this is not a band playing with genres. In the past, The Cat Empire dived in to any musical style which took their fancy, from reggae to salsa, Latin to hip-hop. Cinema reveals a band that has developed an emphatic voice that is all their own.
``That's a sound that has emerged out of nearly 10 years of playing on stage together,'' says singer and percussionist Felix Riebl. ”The result is an album that's much more integrated than anything we've done before, with a Cat Empire sound that runs consistently through it. The lyrics are perhaps darker, but they are accompanied by music that is uplifting which gives it a strange but powerful feeling.''
Riebl adds: “At times the album is thoughtful, at times it makes you just forget and dance. But it is an album that has more sonic depth than we've ever had before, experimental in parts but with really direct choruses. It's going to be a great album to play live, especially on big stages and at festivals.''
Of course, the stage is never far from the thoughts of this band. In an age when so much of selling music seems to be about celebrity and fashion, The Cat Empire have risen to be one of Australia and indeed the worlds favourite live acts through sheer musicality and the power of their interaction on stage. The band - Riebl, Vocalist and trumpeter Harry Angus, keys player Ollie McGill, bassist Ryan Monro, drummer Will Hull-Brown and Jamshid Khadiwala (aka ‘Jumps’) on decks - played their 700th show in Amsterdam last year, and will hit the 800 mark in 2010. While it is not well known in Australia, The Cat Empire are one of the country's most successful musical exports, doubling their audience numbers at every return stop.
They have headlined some of the world's biggest music festivals, including Summersonic (Japan), Rock am Ring (Germany) and V Fest (UK), playing Bonnaroo (US) as well as to an audience of 300,000 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. They have also played on some of world's highest rating entertainment shows, including Dave Letterman and Jay Leno. This year their worldwide tour in support of the international release of Cinema will see them return to Canada, US, Europe, Japan and the UK, where they will play to a full house at London's Brixton Academy.
The knowledge that they would be playing songs from the new album on so many big stages focused the song writing sessions for Cinema. The album was recorded close to home at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne with producer Steve Schram, and he encouraged them to make an album that was their most collaborative song writing effort yet.
``That was a deliberate decision from all of us,'' says the lion of the live show - Vocalist and Trumpeter Harry Angus. ``With six people in the band sometimes there will be a song on an album that not everyone wants to play live. This album certainly gets around that problem. And I think that after so many years playing together the guys are much more confident about contributing to the writing. Steve encouraged us to do that. That's been great for us.''
Of working with The Cat Empire, Schram says “it was the perfect studio scenario; amazing players open to trying anything and willing to take a back seat when required. Egos were left at the door.” He adds “In terms of musicianship, it's no secret that they don't come much better than The Cat Empire. Yet Cinema shows that simplicity and one well placed note packs more of a punch and serves the song far more than musical chops alone. We set out to explore in depth the mood and character of each song while maintaining a focus on performance rather than studio trickery. “
After taking their longest break from studio recording after the release of 2007's So Many Nights, the band reconvened feeling refreshed. ``In 2008 we took a break from touring for 8 months. Then in 2009 we released our (live album) Live on Earth” Riebl says. ``When we came back to the band, and then into the studio we all rediscovered what we loved about The Cat Empire in the first place; that it is a band that can do the unexpected, that we have great energy and make music that is always a lot of fun to play on stage. The feeling right now is just like when we were starting out. We're all very excited about that.''
Cinema will be released ...
JUNE 25, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 29, CANADA
JULY 6, USA
AUGUST 2010, EUROPE & JAPAN
See www.thecatempire.com for tours and information
The Cat Empire began as a trio with McGill, Riebl, and Monro in late 1999, and started playing a wide variety of gigs in Melbourne. The band soon expanded in 2001, adding Angus, Hull-Brown, and Khadiwala.
THE Cat Empire's message, on stage and in the studio, has always been about breaking down borders: musical, geographic, lingual. But they have never done it so powerfully as they do on their new album, Cinema. The album serves up a set which captures the inexorable force - and sheer joy - of their live performances, delivered in a format perfect for lounge-rooms, backyards, BBQ’s, cafes, road trips and parties all over the world.
Cinema, the band's fourth studio album, is a dazzling statement of a band at a peak of its powers, music designed to move the body and the mind. Right from the opening track, Waiting, this is music that leaps from the speakers.
All the elements that people love about The Cat Empire are there but the result is brighter, bolder. And yes, more cinematic. What grabs the ear immediately is that this is not a band playing with genres. In the past, The Cat Empire dived in to any musical style which took their fancy, from reggae to salsa, Latin to hip-hop. Cinema reveals a band that has developed an emphatic voice that is all their own.
``That's a sound that has emerged out of nearly 10 years of playing on stage together,'' says singer and percussionist Felix Riebl. ”The result is an album that's much more integrated than anything we've done before, with a Cat Empire sound that runs consistently through it. The lyrics are perhaps darker, but they are accompanied by music that is uplifting which gives it a strange but powerful feeling.''
Riebl adds: “At times the album is thoughtful, at times it makes you just forget and dance. But it is an album that has more sonic depth than we've ever had before, experimental in parts but with really direct choruses. It's going to be a great album to play live, especially on big stages and at festivals.''
Of course, the stage is never far from the thoughts of this band. In an age when so much of selling music seems to be about celebrity and fashion, The Cat Empire have risen to be one of Australia and indeed the worlds favourite live acts through sheer musicality and the power of their interaction on stage. The band - Riebl, Vocalist and trumpeter Harry Angus, keys player Ollie McGill, bassist Ryan Monro, drummer Will Hull-Brown and Jamshid Khadiwala (aka ‘Jumps’) on decks - played their 700th show in Amsterdam last year, and will hit the 800 mark in 2010. While it is not well known in Australia, The Cat Empire are one of the country's most successful musical exports, doubling their audience numbers at every return stop.
They have headlined some of the world's biggest music festivals, including Summersonic (Japan), Rock am Ring (Germany) and V Fest (UK), playing Bonnaroo (US) as well as to an audience of 300,000 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. They have also played on some of world's highest rating entertainment shows, including Dave Letterman and Jay Leno. This year their worldwide tour in support of the international release of Cinema will see them return to Canada, US, Europe, Japan and the UK, where they will play to a full house at London's Brixton Academy.
The knowledge that they would be playing songs from the new album on so many big stages focused the song writing sessions for Cinema. The album was recorded close to home at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne with producer Steve Schram, and he encouraged them to make an album that was their most collaborative song writing effort yet.
``That was a deliberate decision from all of us,'' says the lion of the live show - Vocalist and Trumpeter Harry Angus. ``With six people in the band sometimes there will be a song on an album that not everyone wants to play live. This album certainly gets around that problem. And I think that after so many years playing together the guys are much more confident about contributing to the writing. Steve encouraged us to do that. That's been great for us.''
Of working with The Cat Empire, Schram says “it was the perfect studio scenario; amazing players open to trying anything and willing to take a back seat when required. Egos were left at the door.” He adds “In terms of musicianship, it's no secret that they don't come much better than The Cat Empire. Yet Cinema shows that simplicity and one well placed note packs more of a punch and serves the song far more than musical chops alone. We set out to explore in depth the mood and character of each song while maintaining a focus on performance rather than studio trickery. “
After taking their longest break from studio recording after the release of 2007's So Many Nights, the band reconvened feeling refreshed. ``In 2008 we took a break from touring for 8 months. Then in 2009 we released our (live album) Live on Earth” Riebl says. ``When we came back to the band, and then into the studio we all rediscovered what we loved about The Cat Empire in the first place; that it is a band that can do the unexpected, that we have great energy and make music that is always a lot of fun to play on stage. The feeling right now is just like when we were starting out. We're all very excited about that.''
Cinema will be released ...
JUNE 25, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 29, CANADA
JULY 6, USA
AUGUST 2010, EUROPE & JAPAN
See www.thecatempire.com for tours and information
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Sly
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Are you ready?
If frizzy hair was a metaphor for festival time
Then this woman is a goddess of that festival shrine
Met her at a jam in a garden of sorts
I must confess, god bless, some impure thoughts
"Show us the money" was the call of the night
But no money could have bought even a piece of the pride
There might have been a sea of people I don't know
Because all I could see was how this woman she glowed so
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
She caterpillar so good that all the Greeks go, "Killa!"
Break and enter take ya like a glass of milk then (Spill ya)
Saw her coming, what a scene, what I mean she got
That sex coffee bean, but she tastes like vanilla
Well alright, she ignite when we hit the floor
Like the vroom on a super Commodore
Now if it makes a good story, well it's just worthwhile
With her's like dealing stories in a sprinkler style, it's so sly
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
[?]
Oh, do the Louis
Do the ja-ja-ja-ja Jenni
Do the boom-shak, hit-the-sack, back-seat's feeling alright
Feeling alright
Do the McShuffle
Rock it with a fine stride
Do the late checkout with a do-not-disturb sign outside
Now do the sly
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
You're so sly
[?]
Hey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Felix Riebl
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Rodolfo
[Verse 1]
If frizzy hair was a metaphor for festival time
Then this woman is a goddess of that festival shrine
Met her at a jam in a garden of sorts
I must confess, god bless, some impure thoughts
"Show us the money" was the call of the night
But no money could have bought even a piece of the pride
There might have been a sea of people I don't know
Because all I could see was how this woman she glowed so
[Chorus]
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
[Verse 2]
She caterpillar so good that all the Greeks go, "Killa!"
Break and enter take ya like a glass of milk then (Spill ya)
Saw her coming, what a scene, what I mean she got
That sex coffee bean, but she tastes like vanilla
Well alright, she ignite when we hit the floor
Like the vroom on a super Commodore
Now if it makes a good story, well it's just worthwhile
With her's like dealing stories in a sprinkler style, it's so sly
[Chorus]
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
[?]
Oh, do the Louis
Do the ja-ja-ja-ja Jenni
Do the boom-shak, hit-the-sack, back-seat's feeling alright
Feeling alright
Do the McShuffle
Rock it with a fine stride
Do the late checkout with a do-not-disturb sign outside
Now do the sly
[Chorus]
Why, it's a pleasure to meet you
You look like one incredible creature
Wanna treat you fine, let's dance and grind
Get so funk-inflicted, it's a crime
You're divine you're sublime and well you blow my mind
You're so sly
You're so sly
[?]
Hey
In My Pocket
Two Shoes (2005)
1.
Sly
2.
In My Pocket
3.
Lullaby
4.
The Car Song
5.
Two Shoes
6.
Miserere
7.
Sol Y Sombra
8.
Party Started
9.
Protons, Neutrons, Electrons
10.
Saltwater
11.
The Night That Never End
15.
The Wine Song
How to Explain
Hello
lilac-w-i-n-e
this band is the sickest ever, my parents bought this album ages ago and they'd play it in the car all the time on holiday when i was a little kid, good times
Riley Miles
Bro my parents legit did the same thing when I was a little tucker
Glaucus
cool parents!
Daniela Hernández
they don't get the attention they deserve. they are fantastic
R
No matter what happens in my life, The Cat Empire put me in a good mood. Love life, no matter how hard, Empire make me feel that way.
Filantrop z Tulczyna
This is one of those songs you heard once or twice and forgot it. And when you found it 10 years later it is just super
blackmagick88
I saw them at Wpg Folk Festival as well, I was blow away, awesome music! Also met one of the singers (the one who also plays the trumpet), he was really nice!
itspeople24
The absolute best band ever.
Jess A
Such an awesome song - got to be the soundtrack to every good day! can't stop quoting the lyrics either. 'S brilliant. :D
Marin
Great song, one of my favorites on FIFA 08. It really makes you dance. And the video!!! WOL!!! Great job! They really know what they are doing! It is almost as out of a movie.