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
Open Up Your Face
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the madness comes
As the wire buzzes
While the weary run
Like a flower that reaches out its fingers to the rain
Like a bird that flies above the gutters and the graves
Open up your face
Open up your face
And move without a trace
You move without a trace
And the water's fine
As we drift away
Every single night
Every single day
Like a human cannonball who hears the match strike flame
Like a prisoner listening to the rumble of the train
Open up your face
Open up your face
And move without a trace
You move without a trace
Then I'll know you want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you...
And it's coming down
Tropical the rain
All the neighbours running out
On the street again
Like a cool wind blowing through desert after noon
Like the priest who kneels before his mary in the gloom
Open up your face
Open up your face
And move without a trace
You move without a trace
Then I'll know you want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you
You want me, I want you...
The Cat Empire's song "Open Up Your Face" talks about the need for people to open themselves up to the world around them. The lyrics depict a scene where people are caught up in their own lives and the noise of everyday life, represented by traffic and wire buzzing. But amidst all this, there are still moments of magic - like a flower reaching out to the rain or a bird flying above everything.
The chorus is the main message of the song: "Open up your face / And move without a trace." This could be interpreted as an invitation to be open and vulnerable, to let others see who you really are without fear or hesitation, and to move through life with purpose and intention.
The verses contain a series of similes and metaphors that paint vivid pictures, such as a "human cannonball who hears the match strike flame" or a "cool wind blowing through desert after noon." These are meant to evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the world around us, even in the midst of chaos.
Overall, "Open Up Your Face" is a call to action - to be present, to be open, and to embrace the beauty and complexity of life.
Line by Line Meaning
While the traffic hums
Amidst the constant buzzing of vehicles on the road
When the madness comes
When the chaotic and unpredictable elements of life surface
As the wire buzzes
As the sound of electricity crackling can be heard
While the weary run
While people who are tired and worn out seek to escape
Like a flower that reaches out its fingers to the rain
Like a delicate bloom that is thirsty for nourishment
Like a bird that flies above the gutters and the graves
Like a creature that rises above the filth and decay of life
Open up your face
Let your emotions and true self come to the surface
And move without a trace
Act with subtlety and without leaving a footprint
And the water's fine
Things are going well and there's nothing to worry about
As we drift away
As we move freely and without constraint
Every single night
Each and every evening
Every single day
Each and every morning
Like a human cannonball who hears the match strike flame
Like a daredevil who is brave enough to take risks
Like a prisoner listening to the rumble of the train
Like someone who is confined and yearning for escape
Then I'll know you want me, I want you
If you show me your true self, I will reciprocate your feelings
And it's coming down
Rain is falling heavily
Tropical the rain
The rain feels exotic and foreign
All the neighbours running out
Everyone in the community is affected by the rain
On the street again
Out in the open and exposed to the elements
Like a cool wind blowing through desert after noon
Like a refreshing breeze in the midst of an oppressive climate
Like the priest who kneels before his mary in the gloom
Like someone who seeks comfort and solace through religion
Contributed by Hunter D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Janik Rudisile
just amazing
Owen Horsburgh
Sounds like what Ben harper would write
Kylie Canguru
Only have one comentary ;-;