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
The Wine Song
The Cat Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And sway
But they still stay the same
The songs that we sung when the dark days come
Are the songs that we sung when we chased them away
If I ever found a pot of gold
I'd buy bottles untold of the nectar of the vines
I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye
Tomorrow is another day
The cats are out to play, to play
That old rusty spaceship wants to sail
Into the milky way again
On a river of red red wine
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
In summer the bushfires rage and rage
And rage
On such beautiful days
And we fight them with water that runs through the cracks
Water we're desperately trying to save
So I'll just live on wine and water my vines
And sleep on the wind with the fires right behind
And sing on the beaches and swing through the night
Oh we'll cry 'pass the wine, pass the wine, pass the wine'
Tomorrow is another day
The cats are out to play, to play
That old rusty spaceship wants to sail
Into the milky way again
On a river of red red wine
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
Oh what a beautiful day today!
Today's a day to celebrate
Grab your bucket, grab your spade
We're heading down to Half Moon Bay
I saw a plane go into a cloud
I'm drunk, I'm singing, I'm happy and loud
Two o'clock in the arvo, but hey that's allowed
I'm having a good time and of that I am proud
"The Wine Song" by The Cat Empire is a song that speaks to the cyclical nature of life and the things that remain constant through change. The opening lines speak to the idea that though songs and melodies may change, they still ultimately stay the same. The songs we sing during difficult times are the same ones we celebrate with when we overcome them. It's a sentiment that speaks to the universality of music and its ability to bring people together in joy and sorrow.
Throughout the rest of the song, the lyrics focus on the delights of life, specifically the joys of drinking and enjoying good wine. The singer speaks to the idea that if they were ever to find a pot of gold, they would spend it on wine. They would live their life in joy, spinning stories, singing songs, and drinking wine. The chorus of the song is a call to live life to the fullest, to have fun, drink, and celebrate the sun. It's a testament to the simple pleasures of life and the importance of enjoying them whenever possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Song and melodies change and change
And sway
But they still stay the same
Over time, music may evolve and adapt, but its essence remains constant.
The songs that we sung when the dark days come
Are the songs that we sung when we chased them away
The same music that heals our sorrows is the music that brings forth our happiness.
If I ever found a pot of gold
I'd buy bottles untold of the nectar of the vines
I'm going to die with a twinkle in my eye
'cause I sung songs spun stories loved laughed and drank wine
If I were lucky enough to find a wealthy treasure, I would surely indulge in the joys of good wine because it is part of what gives me an enjoyable life.
Tomorrow is another day
The cats are out to play, to play
That old rusty spaceship wants to sail
Into the milky way again
On a river of red red wine
Even though we move on to new days, there's always something exciting that lies ahead. We're always searching for the next new adventure, and we do so with a drink in our hands and hopes in our hearts.
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
Run...
(let's have some)
Fun...
(we'll)
Drink...
(a toast to the)
Sun...
Let's enjoy our time together, relishing the sunshine and everything good that's happening in this very moment.
In summer the bushfires rage and rage
And rage
On such beautiful days
And we fight them with water that runs through the cracks
Water we're desperately trying to save
Even on days of beauty and splendor, we still go through trials, and in this case, it's dealing with rampant wildfires. Despite this, we persist and struggle to survive.
So I'll just live on wine and water my vines
And sleep on the wind with the fires right behind
And sing on the beaches and swing through the night
Oh we'll cry 'pass the wine, pass the wine, pass the wine'
As I persist through adversity, I keep nurturing my vineyard and keeping myself entertained even amidst danger. Life may be tough, but let's laugh and enjoy the moment while we can.
Oh what a beautiful day today!
Today's a day to celebrate
Grab your bucket, grab your spade
We're heading down to Half Moon Bay
What a lovely day it is today! Let's go out and have some fun in the sun by the beach; let's make today a great one worth celebrating for.
I saw a plane go into a cloud
I'm drunk, I'm singing, I'm happy and loud
Two o'clock in the arvo, but hey that's allowed
I'm having a good time and of that I am proud
I see a plane go into the clouds, and even with a buzz in my head, I'm still enjoying myself unabashedly. It's only two in the afternoon, but there's nothing wrong with feeling this good as I take the time to revel in the present moment.
Contributed by Olivia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Camille G. Ricard
The name of the song is "Hello (North American Encores)"
Babelfish112
They never play this when I see them! :P
Christophe
Name of song : ''Hello''.