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
Luck Song
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By now I have seen you
Would you would you would you
Move with me
Looked through a looking glass
and what did I see?
I saw one thousand cameras shooting
and a mass of people sitting watching
watching that big screen
when around them was a fire burning
that they couldn't see
they couldn't breathe but kept watching
and thought things they would be fine
believed that the screen
would be screening for all of time
conceived the idea they were
behind the screen divine
but when it came to living
were what petrol is to wine
Hear through some speakers sounding
what did I hear?
I hear some plastic singer singing
plastic lyrics in my ear
and a mass of empty hands clapping
with an empty cheer
when in the distance was some soul music
that they couldn't hear
neared the speaker with the plastic song
and tried their best to move
cleared a floor and tried to shake it
but they couldn't find their groove
they feared to recognize that what they heard
was music abused
and when it came to dancing
their bodies refuse
So by now you have seen me
By now I have seen you
Would you would you would you
Move with me
The Cat Empire's song "Luck Song" explores the idea of being trapped in a consumerist and materialistic society, where people are distracted by the screens they watch and the commercialized music they listen to. The lyrics start with an invitation to move together and implies a desire to break out of this cycle. The second stanza depicts a scene where a group of people are fixated on a giant TV screen, watching a fire burn around them. This is a metaphor for the idea that people are too focused on the superficial images presented on the screens that they don't pay attention to the issues affecting them directly. They are unable to breathe, yet they keep watching, believing that things will be fine, and that the screen will always be there to provide for them. The verse suggests that people have become dependent on the screen and have forgotten how to live without it. The chorus, "Would you, would you, would you move with me" is a call for people to break free from this consumerist cycle and to reconnect with each other.
The third verse continues the metaphor of the screens and commercialized music. It describes a scene where a plastic singer sings plastic lyrics, and people clap with an empty cheer. Meanwhile, in the distance, some soulful music plays that the people can't hear. This verse represents how people have become accustomed to music that is heavily produced and lacks any substance, while ignoring the authentic and soulful music that adds depth and meaning to life. The verse suggests that people are so used to the manufactured form of music that they are unable to appreciate or recognize real music.
Overall, "Luck Song" is a powerful critique of society's obsession with consumerism and superficiality. The song invites people to take a step back and re-evaluate their priorities, seeking out genuine connections and experiences that are not distorted by the screens they watch and the music they listen to.
**Interesting Facts**
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
So by now you have seen me
At this point, we are well acquainted with each other and have seen each other multiple times
By now I have seen you
I have also seen you multiple times
Would you would you would you
Can I request that you move with me?
Move with me
Let's go somewhere together and share an experience
Looked through a looking glass
Observing my surroundings through a window or mirror
and what did I see?
What I observed was significant
I saw one thousand cameras shooting
There were many cameras operating
and a giant TV
A large television was present
and a mass of people sitting watching
A large crowd of individuals were present, watching the events unfold
watching that big screen
The crowd had their attention on the large television screen
when around them was a fire burning
There was a fire nearby, but the crowd was unaware
that they couldn't see
The fire wasn't visible to the crowd
they couldn't breathe but kept watching
Despite the dangerous situation, the crowd continued to be fixated on the television
and thought things they would be fine
The crowd believed they were safe despite the situation at hand
believed that the screen
The crowd put their trust in the television
would be screening for all of time
The television was expected to be a constant presence and source of entertainment
conceived the idea they were
The crowd believed they were a superior race
behind the screen divine
The crowd believed they had divine inspiration or control over the events displayed on the television
but when it came to living
In reality, when it came to their own lives and experiences
were what petrol is to wine
Their existence was inferior or lower in quality to what they believed it to be
Hear through some speakers sounding
Listening to the audio through a speaker
what did I hear?
What I heard was significant
I hear some plastic singer singing
A synthetic singer was producing the music
plastic lyrics in my ear
The lyrics had no real meaning or value
and a mass of empty hands clapping
The crowd was applauding without any genuine enthusiasm or emotion
with an empty cheer
Their cheers lacked real enthusiasm or meaning
when in the distance was some soul music
There was some genuine and heartfelt music playing in the background
that they couldn't hear
Unfortunately, the crowd was oblivious to the more authentic sounds nearby
neared the speaker with the plastic song
The crowd approached the artist emitting the synthetic music
and tried their best to move
Despite the artificiality of the music, the crowd tried dancing along
cleared a floor and tried to shake it
They even cleared out some space for dancing
but they couldn't find their groove
Unfortunately, they couldn't quite get into the rhythm of the music
they feared to recognize that what they heard
The crowd was apprehensive to acknowledge that the music was not authentic
was music abused
The synthetic sounds were a distortion or perversion of true music
and when it came to dancing
For someone who loves dance and music
their bodies refuse
Their bodies weren't able to fully engage with the music and dance due to its artificial nature
Would you would you would you
Can I implore you to share an experience and connect with me?
Move with me
Let's engage with the world and each other to create a genuine experience
Contributed by Julian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.