The Cat Empire - Rising With The Sun (Album Review)

I was first introduced to the Cat Empire back in 2006-2007.

Back then my band was at the height of its "success", and the guys that told us all about them (an awesome trio called Toupe) had said that we'd love them.

They billed them as a ska infused hip-hop band, and that's exactly how I found them.

But since then, the Cat Empire have evolved and grown and morphed and completely changed.

I saw them live in London in 2008, and they were one of the most incredible bands I've ever seen live. They are so much more than a ska infused hip-hop band. They are an entity.

To see them play with a full orchestra (although my idea of a full orchestra is like, anything beyound a normal brass section and accompanying string instruments!) was out of this world.

Yes, I'd had a "bit" to drink that day, but still, they blew me away. No, I won't be posting pictures of the state of me after that gig.

Anyway, a couple of days ago they released their 7th (?) album, Rising With The Sun.

It's... different.

But actually, it's different in a good way.

So basically, you've got two main vocalists... one who sounds like a less annoying version of the bloke from the Slackers, and the other that sounds like an Australian hitch hiker. One does more melodic singing, the other does more rappy vocals.

Up until album number five (Cinema - which is awesome) the formula was pretty much always; grab a pot, throw a bit of hip-hop in there with some jazz, some ska, some reggae and occasionally some orchestral shizzle in there for good measure, and you've got a Cat Empire album.

Can't go wrong with that, after all, they are one of the best bands I've ever seen live... so much energy, so much soul, so much party (and not your typically stereotyped teenagers-drinking-underage-jumping-in-a-pool-rich-kids-copping-off-with-anything-that-moves type party that you hear in so much music these days) nope, I'm talking proper burning-man "this BBQ where we all randomly appeared at this evening is the best party ever because we're all connected and peace and love n all that shit" type of party.

Yeah.

You might need to re-read those last couple of sentences.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to a new CE album for ages... three years. Well, six actually because the album before this one 'Steal The Light' I didn't particularly like. But I might do now they are back on my radar and my ears are open to them again...

It's a good album, but fans who dropped away after 2010s 'Cinema' might think they aren't worth giving them play time now. I disagree, this album is nice and has most of the elements I like about CE.

No hip-hop flavours in this one though....? Hmm. That's the biggest shame for me, as it's one of the reasons I enjoyed them so much 10 years ago.

TEN YEARS?! Oh my god.

Yes, it's just hit me.

When a ten year time span crops up in your memories as if it was yesterday, it's a shock to the system.

Cat Empire created and hold many happy memories for me. This album is... great, but when I think about how they could/should have evolved in the horrifying ten years that have passed since my ears adopted them, I'm left a little saddened because this new one isn't amazing and really, I wouldn't recommend a noob to listen to this one as their first taste of Cat Empire Awesomeness.

'Midnight', 'Bulls' and 'Wolves' (the latter 2 being released earlier this year as singles) are the best tracks on the album, and had filled me with hope that the rest of the songs might be as good or better - alas, not really.

It's all just kinda... meh after the first three tracks. But somehow, still great, probably just because it's new Cat Empire tracks. I think I feel like "yeah, nice, now hurry up and get a PROPER album out" and all will be fine. But I think that about most bands I've loved and followed every time they bring out a new album.

Maybe I'm just too hard to please.

'Rising With The Sun' (like my boner does) - I give it a (just about) 3 out of 7

Want to read more about the Cat Empire? Here's the wiki page - BOOM

The claws of 2016 continue to steal: RIP Phife Dawg

Today I returned to the internet after a day away, only to find more sad news.

First of all, in light of the Brussells attacks, I must say that I am (as always in these cases) deeply saddened by this tragedy, and my thoughts and prayers go out to each and every one of the victims and their families, friends and colleagues.

I feel the need to say this because otherwise you are always going to feel like you're trivialising such events when it appears that you're not being vocal about them and talking about other things. But in reality, it goes without saying, and nobody should make you feel bad about whether you put up a flag on social media or not.

Plus Daesh don't deserve to see our pain, only our solidarity when they attempt such moronic ill-thought out ways of trying to get the West to listen.

Anyway, that's a whole other blog entry I may or may not decide to write at some point and not what I want to get in to right now.

Alas, in amongst the sadness of current event my sadness today was further deepened by the news that a member of one of my all-time favourite hip-hop groups, A Tribe Called Quest, has passed away.

This group have been a big part of my musical life, one of the first I ever heard and one that shaped the music (and particularly the hip-hop) I listened to as I have travelled through life.

So that means that Phife Dawg was part of my life. A big part of it that I never really acknowledged with quite so much certainty until today.

I could write an entire post about what ATCQ have done as hip-hop pioneers, and indeed, Phife's role within that, but all I feel I need to do today is say firstly that 2016 is racking up some major talent up there in the big blue yonder, and secondly, listen to A Tribe Called Quest.

Thanks Phife, thanks for the music, thanks for being influential. May you rest in peace.