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
Like a Drum
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Marina mas allá
No one fears who we are
Marina ven para acá
Always near, always far
El cielo alcanzarás
I know my way, know my star
Es vida lo que das
No me digas lo que és
Lo que viene mas allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina va pa' allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina de Bahia
[x2]
Ooh Marina, ooh my love, ooh Marina,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum
I know my way, know my star
Marina mas allá
No one fears who we are
Marina ven para acá
Always near, always far
El cielo alcanzarás
I know my way, know my star
Es vida lo que das
No me digas lo que és
Lo que viene mas allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina va pa' allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina de Bahia
Ooh Marina, ooh my love, ooh Marina,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum
No me digas lo que és
Lo que viene mas allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina va pa' allá
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
La Marina de Bahia
[x2]
Ooh Marina, ooh my love, ooh Marina,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum,
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum
The Cat Empire's "Like a Drum" is a highly complex song with a variety of cultural and poetic references. First of all, the song's title suggests the rhythmic and pulsating nature of music and the human heart. The lyrics follow a similar pulse, with the repetition of phrases like "Marina mas allá" and "Marina ven para acá" conveying a sense of movement and momentum. The phrase "Marina" itself can be interpreted as a reference to the sea or to a loved one, depending on the listener's perspective.
The song also features a mix of Spanish and English lyrics. This bilingual approach adds to the song's multicultural themes, with the Spanish phrases emphasizing the band's Latin roots. In fact, The Cat Empire's sound is heavily influenced by Latin music, as well as jazz, funk, and ska. The line "Es vida lo que das" translates to "it's life that you give," emphasizing the importance of living life to the fullest and embracing every moment.
Overall, "Like a Drum" is an upbeat and vibrant song that celebrates life, love, and movement. The lyrics are poetic yet simple, inviting listeners to get lost in the rhythms and let their hearts beat like a drum.
Line by Line Meaning
I know my way, know my star
I am confident in my path and purpose
Marina mas allá
The destination lies beyond the horizon
No one fears who we are
Our identity is accepted and valued
Marina ven para acá
Come with me towards the unknown
Always near, always far
Though distance separates us, we remain connected
El cielo alcanzarás
You will reach the sky
Es vida lo que das
The gift of life is what you give
No me digas lo que és
Don't tell me what it is
Lo que viene mas allá
What lies beyond is unknown
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Vocalisation
La Marina va pa' allá
The Marina is headed that way
La Marina de Bahia
The Bahia Marina
Ooh Marina, ooh my love, ooh Marina,
Expression of affection for Marina
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum,
Feelings of excitement and passion
No me digas lo que és
Don't tell me what it is
La Marina va pa' allá
The Marina is headed that way
La Marina de Bahia
The Bahia Marina
Ooh Marina, ooh my love, ooh Marina,
Expression of affection for Marina
My heart is beating like a drum, my heart is beating like a drum,
Feelings of excitement and passion
Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mick D
These guys are just great live - have seen them many times - __ - hip-hop, pop-rock,-salsa and great trumpet riffs - reasonable ticket prices - nothing to unlike :
Marc Abi
one of my favorites! you guys are our biggest inspiration! Love everything your doing Please don't stop!
Monserrat Merino
Los amé, me encantó su música.
Tienen una nueva fan!
Eleanor Patten
Jane says
Ernesto Romero
Great song, great video, perfect band!
Lifae
One of my favourite songs on the album <3
VoteSchrodinger'sCat
One of my most favourite songs on the new album. Why must you be so amazing? We'll love you forever, TCE!! :D <3
Mr. Mysteryman
Both the song and the video are amazing! I love TCE! :)
caryssonford
YAY, what a surprise! LOVE this song and adore the video! :D You guys are the greatest. :)
Madjury Zucee Mijangos Rodriguez
Me declaro fan de ellos 😍