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
So Long
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've done this five nights and tomorrow's free
Oh I say, tomorrow's free
And I seem to meet it in the morning and no sleep
But I can't keep myself from wandering
Next night down in Montreal
And when it rains I guess it pours
Pours and we go down into the
Saint street keeping our feet of the ground
Till we find ourselves at breakfast in our super town
So long well hey hey hey
Though I'd see you all again
So long and hey hey hey
The bus driver yonder in the morning light
Look out of the window baby and what a sight we say
Well hey hey hey
I now a girl who's got eyes on her feet
So when she starts dreaming she roams
And she'll know where she's going
She looks alright that's Romina she's dancing on the speakers
And speaking of moving Ruben's places started
Jumping with the campisis
So long hey hey hey
Though I'd see you all again
So long and hey hey hey
Thursday was solid and Friday's cool
Saturday was messy in the best way possible
Sunday should be for rest but these
Cats on the corner and I can't keep my chest from a
Rumbling the same way it did when I was young and blessed
So long well hey hey hey
Though I'd see you all again
So long and hey hey hey
The bus driver yonder in the morning light
Look out of the window baby and what a sight we say
Well hey hey hey
So long hey hey hey
Remember me and that it's all OK now baby
So long hey hey hey
The lyrics of The Cat Empire's song "So Long" describe the band's travels and experiences on tour. The first verse mentions a bus ride after a show, with the anticipation of having the following day off. The singer says he is sleepless but unable to stop wandering. They then travel to Montreal and experience rain, but still manage to have a good time and end up having breakfast in a "super town." The following verses mention other members of the band and their experiences on tour, with a seemingly nostalgic tone. The final lines bid farewell, with the bus driver looking out the window at the morning light, and the singer telling listeners to remember him and that everything is okay.
The song seems to be a reflection on the transient nature of touring life, with each verse describing a different location and experience. The repetition of "so long" throughout the song emphasizes the sense of leaving behind people and places that have become familiar. The final line, "remember me and that it's all okay now baby," suggests that even though the experiences may be fleeting, they are still meaningful and worth cherishing.
Line by Line Meaning
The bus drives over on a mellow scene
The journey begins on a calm and peaceful note
We've done this five nights and tomorrow's free
This is the fifth night of the journey and tomorrow is a day off
Oh I say, tomorrow's free
The singer expresses his excitement about the upcoming day off
And I seem to meet it in the morning and no sleep
Despite being sleep-deprived, the singer is looking forward to the day off
But I can't keep myself from wandering
The singer's mind is restless and he cannot stop himself from thinking
Next night down in Montreal
The journey continues to the next destination, Montreal
And when it rains I guess it pours
When it rains, it really pours, causing inconvenience
Oh I say, when it rains it
The singer emphasizes the intensity of the rain
Pours and we go down into the
The rain causes them to go down to a lower street level
Saint street keeping our feet of the ground
The group walks cautiously to avoid getting wet on the wet street
Till we find ourselves at breakfast in our super town
They eventually find their way to a nice breakfast place in Montreal
So long well hey hey hey
The phrase 'so long' is used to say goodbye to friends, and the singer adds a jovial 'hey hey hey'
Though I'd see you all again
The singer hopes to reunite with his friends soon
The bus driver yonder in the morning light
The next day, in the morning light, the bus driver is seen in the distance
Look out of the window baby and what a sight we say
The group sees something interesting outside the window
Well hey hey hey
The phrase 'hey hey hey' is used to express excitement
I know a girl who's got eyes on her feet
The singer knows a girl who is a great dancer and moves gracefully
So when she starts dreaming she roams
When she dances, she completely loses herself in the music
And she'll know where she's going
Despite letting herself go, the girl will still be in control and know where she is headed
She looks alright that's Romina she's dancing on the speakers
The girl's name is Romina and she looks amazing as she dances on the artists
And speaking of moving Ruben's places started
Another friend, Ruben, has also started dancing and moving to the music
Jumping with the campisis
The group is having fun and jumping around with the Campisi siblings
Thursday was solid and Friday's cool
The week has been progressing well and Friday will be enjoyable
Saturday was messy in the best way possible
Saturday may have been chaotic but it was fun and enjoyable nonetheless
Sunday should be for rest but these
Although Sunday is usually a day for resting, the group has other plans
Cats on the corner and I can't keep my chest from a
The group sees some interesting people on the street corner and the singer's heart starts racing with excitement
Rumbling the same way it did when I was young and blessed
The feeling of excitement is the same as when the singer was young and full of energy
Remember me and that it's all OK now baby
The singer hopes that his friends will remember him, and wants them to know that everything is alright now
Contributed by Kennedy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@themoneyman2033
Groovy
@fattdamon5342
Don't think I've ever heard them play this live which is a shame cause it's such a funky tune. Always thought it would be a good one to end a set with before the encore.
@doncrouch2964
GOOD GOD these folks are funky!!! Maybe someday they'll make the West Coast Festival Circuit....
@user-xc5fq7sy1n
Love this song