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
Motion
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A million lights expose those magic cities on the Nile and my
Young trials lead me sailing down this stream
Of hidden songs and steam and my
- Piano it floats and echoes
A moonbeam through the kite she sent
Read 'Is your wooden boat in sight?'
And while I replied 'it's not'
I would surprise her wake her up and rise her
Go swimming in the night's horizon then dry her
Offer the familiar passage of my outstretched hand
'Say when you staying home' she said
'Why not come on my boat instead?'
'Cos I'm tired of all your currents and your tides
Your moods creating whirlpools
And you're in love with the ride and I
Want - some - peace and quiet!'
So we fought a while caught our breath a while
I told her how the purple flowers glow along the river side
She told me all she wanted was me home with some time
I showed her how the sky was only water inclined
I told her about the huts the kind of music we played
She reminded me that 'Flashes past a house is well made'
I told her about the spot where all the oceans collide
She said that 'You could have that with me every night' and so
Set in motion my imagination's miles
A million lights expose those magic cities on the Nile and my
Young trials leads me sailing down this stream of hidden songs
And steam and my
- Piano it floats and echoes
'So when you coming home' she said
'Why not come on my boat instead?'
'Cos I'm tired of all your currents and your tides
Your moods creating whirlpools
And you're in love with the ride and I
Need you!
In The Cat Empire's song "Motion", the lyrics speak to the journey of the singer's imagination and how it is set in motion by various experiences. The opening lines talk about how their young trials lead them down a stream of hidden songs and steam, and how a million lights expose magic cities on the Nile. The imagery of the Nile and the moonbeam floating through the kite sets the scene for a journey, one that is full of surprises and unexpected turns. The singer reflects on their journey and experiences, offering a passage of their outstretched hand to someone they care for.
Later in the song, the singer and the person they care for engage in a conversation about the singer's lifestyle and the ride they are on. The other person expresses their desire for peace and quiet, and a longing for the singer to be home with them. The singer reflects on their journey and experiences, telling the other person about the purple flowers that glow along the river side, and the spot where all the oceans collide. The conversation ends with the other person expressing their need for the singer.
Overall, "Motion" is a song about the highs and lows of journeying through life and experiencing different things. It speaks to the importance of having someone to share those experiences with and to the importance of finding balance in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Set in motion my imagination's miles
My mind is running wild with endless possibilities
A million lights expose those magic cities on the Nile and my
I am witnessing the beauty of cities lit up along the Nile river
Young trials lead me sailing down this stream
I am going through the challenges of youth while navigating the difficult waters of life
Of hidden songs and steam and my
My journey is filled with mysterious music and the power of steam
Piano it floats and echoes
The beautiful sound of the piano is carried on the wind
A moonbeam through the kite she sent
The light of the moon illuminates the kite she sent flying
Read 'Is your wooden boat in sight?'
She asks if I see her boat coming towards me
And while I replied 'it's not'
I answer that I don't see it yet
It was in fact not far from right outside
Her boat was actually very close by
I would surprise her wake her up and rise her
I would wake her up with a surprise and take her on deck
Go swimming in the night's horizon then dry her
We would go for a swim in the beautiful night sky and then dry her off
Offer the familiar passage of my outstretched hand
I offer her my hand in a familiar gesture of love and friendship
'Say when you staying home' she said
She asks me when I plan on staying home
'Why not come on my boat instead?'
She invites me to come on her boat instead of staying home
'Cos I'm tired of all your currents and your tides
She's tired of the unpredictability of my behavior
Your moods creating whirlpools
My emotions are causing chaos in our relationship
And you're in love with the ride and I
I am enjoying the excitement of our relationship too much
Want - some - peace and quiet!'
She wants more stability and calmness in our relationship
So we fought a while caught our breath a while
We had an argument and then took some time to cool down
I told her how the purple flowers glow along the river side
I pointed out the beauty of the purple flowers along the river
She told me all she wanted was me home with some time
She expressed her desire for me to spend more time with her at home
I showed her how the sky was only water inclined
I showed her how the sky is reflected in the water
I told her about the huts the kind of music we played
I shared with her about the music and culture of the huts we visited
She reminded me that 'Flashes past a house is well made'
She reminded me of the importance of taking pride in our home
I told her about the spot where all the oceans collide
I told her about a beautiful location where the oceans come together
She said that 'You could have that with me every night' and so
She promised to share that beauty with me every night if I stayed with her
Need you!
She expressed her love and need for me to be with her
Contributed by Leo O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mahmoud Nabhan
Why can’t i find that song on spotify,anghami or soundcloud !? I had it on my playlist and suddenly it was gone !?
MiceDoes
they removed the album because it was a limited 10 000 copies of the album sold
Riley Kelly
Same with Apple Music 😞
Mahmoud Nabhan
It’s so wired man it’s never happened to me before also it was one of my favorites to play in the mornings 🙏
Alex Ryan
Same thing! It's just the Cities album off of Spotify, it seems. Very odd.
FlameWear
this song: 1:06
So Many Nights: 1:10
sounds really similar
Hero Belleville
Put it back on Spotify cowards!