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
Manifesto
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the grass in the trees
WE SUPPORT
Living life cause life is short
WE UPHOLD
Sky of blue sun of gold
WE MAINTAIN
On sunny days all sadness and pain be relieved
WE BELIEVE
The breeze blows the leaves in the gypsy king's court
WE SUPPORT
Food and wine song and thought and when the night gets cold
WE UPHOLD
The following rules that I'll sing
To you all
We believe in melody
And harmony
And all things sweet
We sing a yum-a-yum chum
To the moon and the sun
And the rumble of the drums
And the big fat beat
We believe in the ace up the sleeve
And we shine our gold teeth
At the cats in the alleys
A flame on a match
That the wind can't catch
And when the bad guys attack
The empire strikes back
The Cat Empire's song "Manifesto" is a declaration of beliefs for the band, focusing on a love of nature, enjoying life, and the power of music. The band believes in the beauty of the world around them, from the grass to the trees and the blue sky above. They sing about their support for living life to the fullest, as they understand that life is short and should be enjoyed while it's possible. Additionally, they uphold the idea that on sunny days, all sadness and pain can be relieved, highlighting the positive impact that nature can have on one's mental health.
The lyrics also touch upon the importance of music to the band. They believe in the power of melody and harmony, as well as the importance of all things sweet. Their love for music extends beyond just enjoying it, as they also sing about the power of music to unite people. The line "We sing a yum-a-yum chum / To the moon and the sun / And the rumble of the drums / And the big fat beat" suggests that the band sees music as a way to celebrate life and bring people together across cultures and backgrounds. Finally, the "Manifesto" ends with a powerful statement about the band's strength in the face of adversity, proclaiming, "And when the bad guys attack / The empire strikes back."
Line by Line Meaning
WE BELIEVE
We hold certain beliefs and values that guide our actions as a band and as individuals.
In the grass in the trees
We value nature and the beauty it brings to our lives.
WE SUPPORT
We stand behind certain principles that we believe are important.
Living life cause life is short
We believe in making the most of the time we have and living life to the fullest.
WE UPHOLD
We uphold certain ideals that we believe are worth maintaining.
Sky of blue sun of gold
We take joy in the simple pleasures of life, like a sunny day and clear blue skies.
WE MAINTAIN
We work to ensure that there is a balance between joy and pain in our lives.
On sunny days all sadness and pain be relieved
We believe that even in hard times, there is beauty and hope to be found.
WE BELIEVE
Our beliefs shape our music and the messages we share with our fans.
The breeze blows the leaves in the gypsy king's court
We find inspiration all around us, from the natural world to the stories of people we admire.
WE SUPPORT
We stand by certain pleasures in life that we believe bring people together.
Food and wine song and thought and when the night gets cold
We believe in celebrating life's simple pleasures and the moments that bring us joy.
WE UPHOLD
We believe in following a set of guidelines that help us stay true to our creative vision.
The following rules that I'll sing
We have certain musical principles that guide the creation of our music.
We believe in melody
Our music is centered around the beauty of melody.
And harmony
We value creating music that has both melodic and harmonic depth.
And all things sweet
We believe that music has the power to evoke joy and sweetness in life.
We sing a yum-a-yum chum
Our music is fun, playful, and meant to make people feel good.
To the moon and the sun
Our music is meant to be enjoyed by people all over the world, from day to night.
And the rumble of the drums
We believe in the power of percussion to set the beat and drive our music forward.
And the big fat beat
We create music that is infectious and danceable, with a powerful beat.
We believe in the ace up the sleeve
We believe that we have something special to offer in our music, that makes us stand out from the crowd.
And we shine our gold teeth
We're stylish and bold, and we want our music to reflect that.
At the cats in the alleys
We're not afraid to take on the establishment and fight for what we believe in through our music.
A flame on a match
Our music is like a spark that sets off a chain reaction of joy and positivity.
That the wind can't catch
Our music has a powerful energy that's uncontainable, like the wind.
And when the bad guys attack
We're not afraid to stand up to those who would try to bring us down or silence us.
The empire strikes back
We are The Cat Empire, and our music is a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Contributed by Skyler T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
domo nation
WE BELIEVE
In the grass in the trees
WE SUPPORT
Living life cause life is short
WE UPHOLD
Sky of blue sun of gold
WE MAINTAIN
On sunny days all sadness and pain be relieved
WE BELIEVE
The breeze blows the leaves in the gypsy king's court
WE SUPPORT
Food and wine song and thought and when the night gets cold
WE UPHOLD
The following rules that I'll sing
To you all
We believe in melody
And harmony
And all things sweet
We sing a yum-a-yum chum
To the moon and the sun
And the rumble of the drums
And the big fat beat
We believe in the ace up the sleeve
And we shine our gold teeth
At the cats in the alleys
A flame on a match
That the wind can't catch
And when the bad guys attack
The empire strikes back
Easymac156
Awesone