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
Know Your Name
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sing it loud
Know your name
Go on sayin'
this again
Know your name
Sing it loud
Sing it loud
Know your name
Go on sayin'
this again
Know your name
Sing it loud
Though I listen
when you talk to me
your eyes, they seem cold
When I wish I might remind you of the time
when they held the sky
On and on the song seems to find you alone
When it rains
hear that sound
when it rains
all that pain
wash it down
when it rains
hear that sound
Though I listen when you talk to me
your eyes, they seem cold
Though I wish I might remind you of the time
when they held the sky
You shoulda seen the wind you cried
Know your name
Sing it loud
Know your name
Now I'm Sayin
this again
Know your name
Sing it loud
The lyrics of The Cat Empire's song Know Your Name urges the listener to know their own name, and to sing it louad. The repetition of the phrase 'Know Your Name' emphasizes the importance of understanding one's own identity, and the need to proclaim it with confidence. The song is a powerful reminder to embrace one's individuality and to not be afraid to show it.
The second half of the song is a reflection on a relationship where the singer feels disconnected from their partner. The lyrics "Though I listen when you talk to me, your eyes they seem cold" suggests that there is a lack of emotional depth in the relationship. The lines "When I wish I might remind you of the time when they held the sky" evoke a sense of nostalgia, and a desire to reconnect with a time when things seemed better. The reference to rain indicating pain and washing it down, also hints at a struggle with moving on from a difficult situation.
Overall, the song encourages the listener to know their own worth and to have the confidence to express themselves. It also touches on the complexities of relationships and the emotions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Know your name
Understand your true identity
Sing it loud
Express yourself with confidence
Go on sayin' this again
Repeat it until it becomes a part of you
Though I listen when you talk to me
I pay attention to you
Your eyes, they seem cold
You seem distant and uninterested
When I wish I might remind you of the time
I wish I could help you remember a happier time
When they held the sky
When you felt limitless and in control
On and on the song seems to find you alone
The music seems to understand your loneliness
When it rains hear that sound
Listen to the cleansing power of rain
When it rains all that pain wash it down
Let the rain help you release your pain
You shoulda seen the wind you cried
You were deeply affected by a past event
Now I'm Sayin this again
I'm reminding you to remember who you are
Know your name
Understand your true identity
Sing it loud
Express yourself with confidence
Know your name
Understand your true identity
Sing it loud
Express yourself with confidence
Contributed by Mason D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.