The Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. T… Read Full Bio ↴The Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. Their sound has been described as a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock with heavy Latin / Salsa influences (not to mention reggae, ska and dub). Currently, the Cat Empire consists of Ollie McGill (keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro (bass and backing vocals), Felix Riebl (percussion and vocals), Harry James Angus (trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion). A strong, recurrent theme of their music is the rejection of materialism, war, and intolerance and an enthusiastic embrace of cultural diversity and the simple, carefree life.

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

Shoulders
The Cat Empire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I saw you walking up the wall
Like the exorcist
When you saw me there you called
Can you spare a fifth?
I used to know you when you were small
How's it come to this?
How does a happy, bright boy
Fall into the rift?

And you carry weight on your shoulders
Won't you see that you are not inside yourself
You put that evil back inside yourself

I saw your Ma the other day
She asked me how you were
Say, 'one day you you'll be fine
But now you do it worse'
She told as she cried that
'No one breaks the curse'
As I looked into her eyes
My heart it nearly burst

And you carry weight on your shoulders
Won't you see that you are not inside yourself
You put that evil back inside yourself

And what if you breathe and see you're good
And what if you reach out, knock on wood
I'm begging you please, won't you be understood
And won't you release, I believe you could

And if you ever wanna dream
I'll help you see the sky
And if you ever wanna scream
About some reason why
And if you ever break the seam
That cuts through your disguise
I love you when you're seen
And do my best to try

To carry weight off your shoulders
Won't you see that you are not here by yourself
Please don't put that evil back inside yourself

And what if you breathe and see you're good
And what if you reach out, knock on wood
I'm begging you please, won't you be understood
And won't you release, I believe you could

And what if you breathe and see you're good
And what if you reach out, knock on wood

I'm begging you please, won't you be understood
And won't you release, I believe you could

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Cat Empire's "Shoulders" express concern and compassion for an old friend who has fallen on hard times. The singer describes seeing their friend climbing a wall "like the exorcist," possibly indicating some kind of struggle or inner turmoil. When the friend notices the singer, they ask for a drink, suggesting a dependence on alcohol or other substances.

The singer then reminisces about how they knew their friend when they were young and happy, and wonders how they ended up in such a dark place. Throughout the song, the singer urges their friend to let go of the weight they carry on their shoulders and seek help to overcome their troubles. They encourage their friend to believe in themselves, to reach out for support, and to let go of the negative forces that are holding them back.

The song is a powerful message about the importance of compassion and support for those facing difficulties in life. It recognizes that we all have struggles, but that with the right help and encouragement, we can overcome them and find hope and happiness again.

Line by Line Meaning

I saw you walking up the wall Like the exorcist
I noticed you moving in a creepy manner, just like the way possessed people move in horror movies.

When you saw me there you called Can you spare a fifth?
When you noticed me, you asked for an alcoholic drink.

I used to know you when you were small How's it come to this?
I knew you when you were younger, but I don't understand how you turned out like this.

How does a happy, bright boy Fall into the rift?
I wonder how such a cheerful, positive boy like you could end up in such a difficult situation.

And you carry weight on your shoulders Won't you see that you are not inside yourself You put that evil back inside yourself
You are struggling with inner demons and are burdened with a heavy weight. You must realize that this is not who you are and that you are responsible for your own unhappiness.

I saw your Ma the other day She asked me how you were
I recently ran into your mother, who inquired about your well-being.

Say, 'one day you you'll be fine But now you do it worse'
I told her that things will get better eventually, but at the moment you are not doing well.

She told as she cried that 'No one breaks the curse'
She confided in me, weeping, that she believes there is a curse on your family and that it is beyond anyone's ability to break it.

As I looked into her eyes My heart it nearly burst
Seeing the pain in her eyes almost made me break down crying too.

And what if you breathe and see you're good And what if you reach out, knock on wood I'm begging you please, won't you be understood And won't you release, I believe you could
Imagine discovering that you are actually a good person, and taking the necessary steps towards becoming your best self. Please, I implore you, seek help and break free from the negative cycle you are caught in. I have faith in your ability to do so.

And if you ever wanna dream I'll help you see the sky And if you ever wanna scream About some reason why And if you ever break the seam That cuts through your disguise I love you when you're seen And do my best to try
If you ever want to dream big, I will encourage you to pursue those goals. If you ever want to vent your frustrations and ask 'why me?', I will listen. And if you ever finally overcome the illusions of who you think you are, I will support and love you for the person you truly are.

To carry weight off your shoulders Won't you see that you are not here by yourself Please don't put that evil back inside yourself
I want to help you unburden yourself from your worries, and remind you that you are not alone in this struggle. Please, don't allow yourself to return to the self-destructive habits that brought you here in the first place.

Contributed by Ella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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