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
Still Young
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eyes so wild beneath your hair
Coat worn blacker than the sun
Shook your head like Strummer strummed
We stood like soldiers in a line
Heard the bells of midnight chime
We turned grey walls to fields of green
The only fate that we could scream was
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
Now where have you gone?
No matter where you’re going
And no matter where you’ve been
You never needed anybody else’s call now
I never met a one like you, never met a one like you
Never met a one like you, don’t bring me down
There’s a dream that haunts my nights
Of wild black horses out in flight
The kind of free I’d never been
A kind of beast I’d never seen
Why do all things end in pain?
I call the ghosts and ask their names
Is that love you’re running from?
If you lead then I will come
And while you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
Now where have you gone?
No matter where you’re going
And no matter where you’ve been
You never needed anybody else’s call now
I never met a one like you, never met a one like you
Never met a one like you, don’t bring me down
Basta de cuentos
Es tiempo de lo nuestro
Tengo tu alma
Bien metida adentro
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
Now where have you gone?
Oh oh oh...
No matter where you’re going
And no matter where you’ve been
You never needed anybody else’s call now
I never met a one like you, never met a one like you
Never met a one like you, don’t bring me down
The Cat Empire’s song Still Young is a beautiful blend of rock, funk, and Latin-inspired rhythms. The song talks about a chance meeting with someone who is wild, free-spirited, and unafraid to be different. The lyrics capture the essence of youth and the desire to break free from the monotonous routine of life. The singer describes seeing this person with wild eyes and black coat, and feels an instant connection with them. They stand like soldiers in a line, hearing the midnight bells chime, turning the grey walls into fields of green. They scream for the only fate they know – to live in the moment and enjoy life. The song urges the younger generation to find their heart and their song, seek their own path in life, and never let anyone bring them down.
The song builds up with powerful drum beats and guitar riffs, inviting the listeners to let go and dance along. The narration takes an interesting turn when the singer talks about a dream that haunts their nights – of wild black horses out in flight, the kind of free they have never been. The song reflects on how all things eventually end in pain and questions if the person he met is running from love. The song ends with an upbeat Latin-inspired outro, calling out to the other person that they have found their soul deep inside them.
Line by Line Meaning
First I saw you standing there
I first noticed you standing in my presence
Eyes so wild beneath your hair
Your eyes were crazed and untamed, hidden beneath your hair
Coat worn blacker than the sun
Your outerwear was darker than even the brightest star in the sky
Shook your head like Strummer strummed
You moved your head rhythmically, similar to the way Joe Strummer played his guitar
We stood like soldiers in a line
We remained motionless like a row of soldiers standing in formation
Heard the bells of midnight chime
We were able to hear the ringing of the bells at midnight
We turned grey walls to fields of green
Together, we transformed the drab and lifeless walls that surrounded us into vivid green landscapes
The only fate that we could scream was
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
Now where have you gone?
The only destiny we were able to shout out was a calling to embrace life while still young and search for our passions, and now we are left wondering where you have disappeared to
No matter where you’re going
And no matter where you’ve been
You never needed anybody else’s call now
I never met a one like you, never met a one like you
Never met a one like you, don’t bring me down
No matter your destination or path in life, you never depended on the input of others, as you were a unique individual that I had never met before and I never want to feel defeated because of your absence
There’s a dream that haunts my nights
Of wild black horses out in flight
The kind of free I’d never been
A kind of beast I’d never seen
I am plagued by a recurring dream where I witness untamed horses galloping through the night sky, embodying a freedom that I have never personally experienced, accompanied by a creature that I had never thought existed
Why do all things end in pain?
I call the ghosts and ask their names
Is that love you’re running from?
If you lead then I will come
I question why all things must conclude with suffering, and reach out to the spirits of the dead to uncover their identities, wondering if your fear of love is the reason for your absence, for I will follow you wherever you go
Basta de cuentos
Es tiempo de lo nuestro
Tengo tu alma
Bien metida adentro
Stop the lies and the stories we tell ourselves, for it is time to truly focus on us and I feel that I understand you and your essence completely
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
While you’re still young
Find your heart and find your song
Now where have you gone?
Oh oh oh...
Continuously live your life to the fullest and pursue your passions while youth is still on your side, and I am left to question where you have disappeared to
No matter where you’re going
And no matter where you’ve been
You never needed anybody else’s call now
I never met a one like you, never met a one like you
Never met a one like you, don’t bring me down
Regardless of your destination or past experiences, you never relied on anyone else's opinion, as you were unique in a way that I had never experienced before and I hope that your absence does not bring me down.
Contributed by Nicholas T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vincentmartinez2044
I discovered this band yesterday.... now I'm a french fan .... all i love in music is in their songs.
@jhbernal
Very common with this band.
@Alex-jc1nm
They are so underrated.
@matthewholloway6328
In my top few favourite bands
@GamePrismZ
Yea seriously
@cucharachatwt9074
sure :(
@___bibs772
Ikr!
@stewartwyeth1302
I think your coment is also under rated!
@neumastorres472
Used to work at a MTB shop in southern Chile. This song was part of the playlist I had while on duty. Thanks, Cat empire🐈
@Mtbloverkona
What mtb shop?