The Cat Empire

Well, last night I managed to write over 1400 words on a single song in about 40 minutes. This worries me somewhat, considering that I've written less on entire albums. As I intend on doing today.

I've talked about the Cat Empire before. Quite a lot, actually, considering this will be my third review of one of their albums. I really need to be a little bit more organised, considering my last Cat Empire album was their most recent (fifth) album and the one before that was their second. Fitting with that theme is tonight's review, which is of their first album.

As this should logically be the first album review I would have done, I should give some background on the Cat Empire:

They're from Melbourne and they're awesome. Also, they do jazz. Well.

Happy? Here goes.

1. How To Explain?
Truly, one of th best intros to an album is found on this track, specifically the trumpets at the beginning of this song. The one thing that strikes you immediately upon hearing this song is the excellent use of vocals. The speed at which they deliver those lyrics at some points is almost reminiscent of hip-hop, but the delivery is much less emphasised than rap. Overall, there is also a haunting use of a choir (I think) sampled in the background, which connects well with the lyrics. The song is full of very colourful imagery, but lacks any kind of clear narrative, which I think works very well with the musical style of the Cat Empire. I am aware that I said I wouldn't dare mention Cat Empire lyrics (half due to the fact they are often near nonsensical and half because they sing at speeds undocumented by mankind) but I do make an exception when the lyrics are clearly used well. If I don't mention the lyrics, just presume it's in Spanish or just about partying...or both, as the case may be. The song also slows down at the end, using disjointed echoes atop a piano and drum beat. I think this also would have been a pretty good song to end the album with.

Overall, I think the effect of this song is to give an overview of the entire album: Nonsensical at times, others are poetic, fast at points, other times slow, but the beats will always be there. A great way of starting off the first album of the Cat Empire's career.

93/100

2. Days Like These
This is the song that first really got me interested in the Cat Empire. The first Cat Empire song I heard was the French cover of Hotel California, but I thought that was just a one-off. A friend was actually listening to this on youtube one day and I just had to do more research on them after hearing that. I still think this is one of the best songs the Cat Empire has ever done, tied with two other songs as the best on he album (How To Explain? being one of them). Anyway, this song also makes extensive use of vocals, which I feel works very well. I think this entire album is going to be a hell of a lot more lively than Cinema. The basic moral of this song is "Life is awesome". The beat is also fantastic and the entire song is just one great big party. Also worth noting, this is the second single off the album.

You just have to love this song. There is literally nothing to dislike about it, as long as you have nothing against the voices of members of the Cat Empire (which some people actually have told me they do. I, however, think they're just as good if not better than the majority of pop musicians).

90/100

3. The Lost Song
The saddest song on the album so far, using a lot of feline imagery, which I think is quite interesting. This song has much less emphasis on the vocals than the previous two, relying on several instruments I will not even attempt to name. The actual vibe of this song is hard to pin down. The vocals present it as "sad", but the music is more somewhere between "haunting" and "muted". In the end, I think the name of the song itself actually tells us the emotion it is trying to convey: Loss. I think it is far more about getting over something, with a grim humour, but accepting sadness. But that might just be me.

Not much to write home about, but a break from the Cat Empire formula, which actually develops much more in their next album. This album, I feel, is much more creative and unique. 76/100

4. The Chariot
I like this song very much, mainly because it reminds me very much of Australian hip-hop. Strange metaphors about fictional conflict and even a title which implies violence and wealth. Again, it might just be how my brain works rather than any tribute the band was actually trying to make. The lyrics of this song are pretty average, using war as a metaphor for how the band lives. An interesting overall effect, though. Basically what an "on tour" song is when this is the bands first album. Where this song shines is the variation it makes. Normally (by which I mean "in the future of the Cat Empire"), the Cat Empire goes all out making as much noise as possible and being just crazy. Here, they clearly hold back to try and make the song more interesting, and I honestly don't know how successful they are. I would need to hear how this song sounded with all out Cat Empire sounds going to make a fair comparison. Also, this was the third single from the album.

A very different and certainly a very memorable Cat Empire song, but they are hardly hard to find. - 85\100

5. Hello
This is what made the Cat Empire. This was the third Cat Empire song I heard, the second I ever heard on the radio. I think even to this day, this song is what the Cat Empire is best known for. The Cat Empire clearly went all out for this song. This song isn't "crazy noise" Cat Empire, more "deliberately not crazy noise" Cat Empire. The kind of music a group makes when they know they completely control every note which the listener can hear. Very unusual for a Cat Empire song, this song is about partying and women. Surprisingly, they don't mention getting drunk. Perhaps that started next album. Nothing great, lyrically, anyway. The flute (I think) solo at the end of the album is very interesting. It made (slightly) more sense in the music video, but still is an interesting addition. Also, it should be pretty obvious just from hearing it that this was the most polished work, thus was the first single off the album.

Overall, I can see why this song is so popular, but it doesn't do that much for me. Undeniably a good song, though. - 86/100

6. One Four Five
This is one of my favourite Cat Empire songs of all time, tying with the first two songs as the best of this album. Although it starts restrained, the song just really sounds like the Cat Empire let loose a bit from being restrained in the previous two songs. The lyrics completely baffle me. I have honestly no idea what importance the number 145 has. Considering the song is about a curing ong given out by a doctor which takes away the stress of modern life, it isn't too difficult to see why I naturally presumed it was about illegal substances. I figured 145 was one of those American laws to legalise selling certain products, or at least owning them. However, Wikipedia says nothing of the sort. I've read the articles about 145 a few times, basically whenever I think I've worked out what the song is about (which is embarrassingly often). There is a musical progression related to the numbers 1,4 & 5, but that seems far too obvious. My current theories are that the song is either a reference to Botswana's rank in world population (145th) of a reference to the Chinese emperor Han Chongdi, who sadly passed away in the year 145 AD. He will be missed, but will be remembered through song. There are several musical elements which are...interesting. The strange voices used after the second verse are....very interesting. This is a little problem when compared to the fantastic use of bass and backing vocals.

A truly fantastic song. I just love it. - 93/100

7. The Rhythm
This song also has an emphasis on vocals. Sadly, the lyrics fall short of this. I know I shouldn't judge the Cat Empire on their lyrics, it clearly isn't a forte of theirs but honestly....after the line "and my pants were bulging" you cannot use the line "tell me, what is the secret to your soul?" in the same song. If you didn't pick it up yet, this song is about women. Well, I'm surprised. The music is fantastic, but the beginning of the song lets it down for me. I don't know which member of the Cat Empire is singing, but the very beginning of the song is silent but for the vocals of the lead singer. What they are going for is a deep, sultry whisper. This is certainly not that. It ends up sounding more like a creepy individual coming up behind you and whispering into your ear. Which doesn't work. That image is not improved upon by the line "and my pants were bulging". I'm sorry Cat Empire, but I will never let you live that line down. It is among the worst lines I have ever heard. Moving along, the music is absolutely fantastic. If you try not to listen to the vocals, the use of trumpet is exceptional and as the title may suggest, the song has a fantastic rhythm.

This song shows a lot about the Cat Empire I didn't want to focus upon. The vocals work best when the listener is partially distracted by the music. The vocals do not hold up to silence and the lyrics aren't much better. This should answer any questions my readership (Yup. I'm that deluded. To think anyone is reading this.) may have had about why I try to avoid focusing of many lyrics in Cat Empire songs. I honestly try to focus on the music, because that is undoubtedly the best part. - 70/100

8. The Wine Song
Well, I was clearly premature in my assumption on the topic of alcohol in track 5. Yes, that's right. A song that is just about drinking. Its even in the title. But don't worry. It's classy because it's wine! The actual song is fantastic, one of the few Cat Empire songs that is based instrumentally around the piano, which is an instrument the Cat Empire normally dwarfs behind louder instruments. There are other instruments (of course), but the piano is key to the song. This is the longest song on the album, but as of my present memory, it is the only Cat Empire song which I can sing all the way through. I think this says a lot about the song. It's slightly slower lyrically, has shorter, simpler, repetitive lyrics and is generally a song that stands out amongst Cat Empire songs. Slower? Using simpler and shorter words? Repeating itself? Jeez, this song is more about getting drunk that I first realised. Also, the scat (please, Oh God, let that be the actual term for it and not Wikipedia just trolling me) singing at the end is unbelievable

Nothing that will change your view of the world or music, but a good song, which shows the kind of variety the Cat Empire is capable of. -87/100

9. Nothing
Like the previous song, this song is based around simplicity. The entire premise of this song is about very simple things, or putting complex ideas about life into simple terms. The use of a banjo or ukulele (I think) really adds to this effect, making the entire song seem like it is being sung by cartoon characters, or character made out of felt, who literally cannot be imagined having an IQ above their age. This is not an insult about the song-writing ability of the Cat Empire, quite the opposite. I honestly think this effect was intentional, made to be a "lazy" song (you know the genre) which tries to be unintelligent. The actual lyrics of this song are among the most quotable of any Cat Empire song. I use the phrase "Nothing. Oh sweet nothing" at least once a week, normally in reference to questions like "What are you doing today?", "What are you thinking?" or "Can you describe your dating life using a lyric from a song by an Australian band?". Yeah, my conversations go weird places. Anyway, it's a hell of a lot more quotable than "and my pants were bulging", but, then again, I don't know that many sex offenders.

A nice simple song that is really a lot of fun, and not in the usual chaos of a Cat Empire song - 81/100

10. Beanni
Meh. I have just saved myself about 5 minutes, but I will explain why the song is meh anyway. The basic premise is two people ("Beanni and Sunglasses Girl") who meet and fall in love. Each is represented by a different musical style and vocalist. Very Obladi Oblada, isn't it? Now, I don't look for meaning in Cat Empire songs in the same way I don't look for good conversation in my toothbrush. I have better ways to waste my time, but this is a new low. This song just lacks life. There is an incredibly weak narrative, a simple musical gimmick and nothing I would expect in a song by the Cat Empire. Just don't bother.

I honestly don't know how a song can be written which contains so little that the preceding song which is literally called NOTHING can be more interesting. HOW?! - 30/100

11. The Crowd
I don't quite get this song. It's not forgettable like many Cat Empire songs, but it just has a way about it that makes it feel dull. Like many songs on this album, the music feels respectably restrained, which I realise is quite a feat for a first album, especially considering the kind of music found on all the other Cat Empire albums. Honestly, The Crowd feels like a no-brand knock-off of The Chariot. I admit this song is different in many aspects, but I just can't stop myself from drawing parallels. Speaking of parallels (yes, that's my segue and I'm sticking to it), I'd like to talk about how this album and Cinema compare. Cinema was a slower album, but was much darker and bleaker. This album is slower than a lot of Cat Empire work, but it does not feel anywhere near as dark. I think the Cat Empire were formed mainly as a live show and when given the chance to release an album, decided to make something that captured the essence of their music without going too over the top. I think a comparison between an essay and a converation is very apt. with an essay (an album) you need to work out what you want to say, make your point and conclude. With a conversation (live show) you can work out who you are dealing with, change you point to fit the circumstance and generally be more precise in what you do. Making an album would have been like trying to guess what having the entire world as an audience would have been like and attempting to produce an album which would appeal to everyone. Oddly, it kind of works. Now, this ties back to The Crowd. Frankly, the song is so dull I got completely off track and don't regret it for a minute.

Worth a listen, but not before a lot of better songs on this album. -60/100

12. Manifesto
There are two things I would like to talk about, before even getting into what the song sounds like. Firstly, congrats to the Cat Empire for not calling a song about what they believe in The Anthem. Seriously, there are a shitload of songs called The Anthem. Consider that both the Hilltop Hoods and Bliss n' Eso have songs called The Anthem. Secondly, lets talk about connotations. Connotations, if you are not aware, is when a word or phrase brings up thoughts of another word or phrase or even a location or an event. Connotations can be very powerful. That is why when people are protesting something, they use very powerful language (say, when someone disagrees with an animal cull, they will call it a "Holocaust of said animal") to attempt to emotionally manipulate the audience. Now, connotations can also be accidental, and that's what I believe happened here. Now, Manifesto is a reasonably obscure word, which few people use in day to day conversation. Now, personally, the most common use of the word "Manifesto" is in reference to "The Communist Manifesto", which is a short book which states the core tenants of Communism. Now, Communism is associated with a large number of things, principally the USSR, which also is associate with a number of things, mainly negative. So, what I'm trying to say here is, although the Cat Empire were creative enough to use a different name for their song, perhaps a better phrase still lurks out there. Anyway, the actual song. The song is actually a parody of a pledge (there, call it "pledge"!), supporting and swearing to basically live life in a fun way. It's okay, but it really just is very distracting in the name. This song is what sort of comes to mind when you call a song Nothing. Not necessarily about "nothing", but unconnected phrases and lines. Not bad, but needs a new name.

A bit too short, but I'm not too sad about it ending. -75/100

13. All That Talking
This is the first song on the album which I think was written to be slow, rather than a lively song slowed down for the album. This song is delightfully cool ,collected and sexy, sort of what I think they were going for at the beginning of The Rhythm. The vocals are the best part, being what really makes his song worth listening to. There was also a great use of maracas (I think). At the end of the sung part of the song, there is a long piano solo, which is OK, which eventually takes up energy and more instruments until the song returns in a much faster way. Now THIS is exactly what the Cat Empire sounds like, not holding back, full on with the trumpets.

A nice simple tune which I consider a "To be continued..." communicated musically. A great way to end the album. -85/100

All in all, it was easy to see that the Cat Empire would achieve great things from the very start. If you thought or think otherwise, you're clearly deaf...or pay too much heed to lyrics. Just turn the brain off and enjoy some Australian jazz.

H. Rourke