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
Siente
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You fucking sangangui so long aufwiedersehn adiu
You had me feeling blue but now I'm gonna jive
I am the sky
Yeh
And it's true
Thank you salut but would you help us change and would you help us through?
Oh my love is so strong
'But love,' she said's 'not all you need'
Yes my mind is open
But so is our disease
The harness is broken
Lord lend me your hand
The sign's clear but not spoken
This is a troubled land
This is a troubled land
Honey I'm well but the world is a little unwell
Thank you salut but would you make a change and would you help us through?
Honey I'm well but the world is a little unwell
Thank you salut but would you make a change and would you help us soon?
The tiger and it's coarse
The Cat Empire's song "Siente" is about the state of the world and the need for change. The lyrics talk about the half-hearted attempts at love and sanguine moments ("Siente L'Amour but that is only half of the score / You fucking sangangui so long aufwiedersehn adiu"), but ultimately, the world is still unwell ("Honey I'm well but the world is a little unwell"). The artist emphasizes that love is important, but it's not enough ("'But love,' she said's 'not all you need'"). The use of the Spanish word "siente" throughout the song gives a sense of urgency and passion to the message.
The song also touches on themes of brokenness and the need for help ("The harness is broken / Lord lend me your hand"). The artist acknowledges that the world has problems, but also offers hope and a plea for change ("Thank you salut but would you make a change and would you help us soon?"). The final line of the song, "This is a troubled land," sums up the message of the song and serves as a call to action to make the world a better place.
Interesting facts:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Siente L'Amour but that is only half of the score
Feeling love is important, but it's not enough to make things better.
You fucking sangangui so long aufwiedersehn adiu
You sang a goodbye for so long, it's like you're saying goodbye again.
You had me feeling blue but now I'm gonna jive
You made me feel sad, but now I'm going to dance and have fun.
I am the sky
The singer feels like they are part of the vast and limitless world around them.
Honey I'm well but the world is a little unwell
The singer is doing okay, but the world is not in a good state.
Thank you salut but would you help us change and would you help us through?
The singer is grateful for the greetings (salut) but asks for help in making a difference and overcoming the problems.
Oh my love is so strong, 'but love,' she said's 'not all you need'
The singer's love is powerful, but they acknowledge that love alone can't solve all problems.
Yes my mind is open, but so is our disease
The singer is open-minded, but there are still serious problems and illnesses affecting the world.
The harness is broken, Lord lend me your hand
The systems and structures that were supposed to help are no longer working, and the singer asks for divine intervention.
The sign's clear but not spoken, this is a troubled land
It's obvious that there are problems, even if people aren't talking about them.
The tiger and it's coarse'
This line could be interpreted in various ways. The word 'tiger' could represent strength, power, or danger. 'Coarse' could indicate roughness or unrefinement. The phrase may suggest something wild, intense, or powerful that isn't tame or polished.
Honey I'm well but the world is a little unwell
The singer repeats that they are doing okay, but acknowledges that the world is still not in a good state.
Thank you salut but would you make a change and would you help us through?
Once again, the singer expresses gratitude for the greetings, but asks for help in making a change and facing the challenges.
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joe Ianni
Incredible song, I've listened to every song on every album and this has got to be one of the best. It's a sentiment that hits me right in the soul.
Gerardo Dario V
I love your awesome music CatEmpire!!!!
Rob Apelian
Yes!! I love this album. Will we ever see this on vinyl or spotify?
Asher Johanson
It was on Spotify but it was taken off for some reason
Hero Belleville
Put it back on Spotify cowards!