THE CAT EMPIRE - STEAL THE LIGHT REVIEW.

This is the third review in our series on the fabulous lineup of Falls Festival this summer. Another one of the fantastic acts set to perform is THE CAT EMPIRE.



I like cats. They don’t really do much unless you count humping your table lamp at 10:30 in the evening as productive,  but humans aren’t that much more advanced in the first place so we’ll try and keep it simple here. They make you happy, and Melbourne natives The Cat Empire is finally living up to their name and making me happy as well. While I can’t speak strongly of their previous releases, their 2013 Steal the Light hits you with that sexy modern ska/hipster trumpet combination that I feel they've near perfected.

            A brief recap of The Cat Empire: they're not bad. While I never found myself melting in their music they’re one of the few bands I’ve heard that understands the balance requisite in success. All they really needed was a reason to stay stuck in my head, because a lot things aren't really balanced up there, but at least what’s up there is musical. Steal the Light, however, brought with it exactly what I wanted to hear – their classically sexy instrumental blend but with a cowhide confidence and energy that was just out of reach for them before. Their 12 track release brought with it a lot of different emotions we haven't heard from them; outside the normal range of garrulously kitschy love songs, their album experiments with its emotions, and along with those its instrumentation. Say goodbye to monotonous horn section and half-hearted drumbeats, The Cat Empire is finally tapping into its own chutzpah.

            What really pulls this album together is the lead vocalists. I’m not going to be the first to say that today’s singers never give me that teenage angst inherent with songwriting; I and my fellow writers would much rather live in the time set of David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix. But finally does our cheery and lighthearted Felix Riebl and Harry James Angus reveal just a little bit of restlessness in their smooth-as-silk vocals. Listen closely and most of their songs are sticking to their guns but adding a little heat to the bullet as well, there’s definitely a little pathos to the intrinsic happiness with ska. And The Cat Empire is happy, they exude effervescence and the heartfelt balminess of Australian summers is seeping through the headsets and microphones in their latest album. But the lead singers have really perfected themselves here, there’s a lot more control that I like and while they’ve always been fluent in their songwriting their ability to balance the emotions they achieve in this new line-up deserves a hearty herald.

            Other points of focus with their new album is their lyrics, which along with the instrumentation is sounding a lot more eclectic. Their sound seems a tad influenced by the likes of Vampire weekend but their lyrics are predominantly Young the Giant meets Radiohead with the funky love song they’ve been working on for over a decade. And it’s a synergy I really enjoy listening to. If anything to spot out with them I guess I’m still somewhat put off by their inability to give us a full range of talent – you’re balanced, I’ve said this over and over again and it means that everything is remarkably cohesive and it sounds euphonic. As ironic as it sounds that doesn’t mean it is, and I love that they can work together a variety of different elements into their songs and still be the upbeat ear molesters they’re becoming, but what’s off-kilter? It isn’t that they’re un-human but there’s no imperfection that makes it sound human, there’s an edge to what they’re doing now but what about them really jumps out to your listening caves and says “I feel this bitch?” They’re not just a tepid love song anymore, but I’m waiting for the next big move. Nonetheless, their album deserves a listen to and I guarantee getting them stuck in your head will make you poop rainbow.



And they have painted eyebands.

BLACK RAINBOW - ALBUM.

‘Black Rainbow’ is the debut solo album of ex-Noiseworks bassist Steve Balbi, and is a reflection of the many influences and experiences of the mature musician, showcasing tunes in the style of old-school Bowie, and well as a throwback to early 90s grunge.

Is it Frank Zappa? Is it Johnny Depp? No, its Steve Balbi.

Balbi is an important figure in Australian music, appearing in the 80s as bassist for the band Noiseworks, whose hit song ‘Touch’ is covered on his album. After the band’s split in 1992, he paired up with fellow Noiseworks member Justin Stanley to form psychedelic pop group Electric Hippies, where Steve was lead vocalist, his distinctive style still evident in his tunes.

He has since worked with high-profile artists such as Michael Hutchence, Tom Jones and David Bowie, whose influences are evident on this album, which Balbi produced via Social Family Records. He has notably been involved with several others artists in ‘Ziggy, The Songs of David Bowie’, a live performance which showcases Bowie's repertoire played by a series of Australian musicians.

Balbi (far right) in Noiseworks

In ‘Black Rainbow’, we see Balbi’s own style emerging, especially after his inclusion in a wide variety of acts and groups. The album has a dark, slightly melancholy feel, as probably suggested by the cover - a black-and-white portrait of a contemplative Balbi, his face framed by long, Zappa-esque locks. His sound is showing some roots of classic 90s grunge, but its reflective, mature lyrics showcases his song writing ability – and its influences, especially David Bowie. Bowie's style is reflected in Balbi’s use of dreamy layering and spacey effects, and in ‘Sweet Sabotage’, we hear a storytelling introduction, reminiscent of early Bowie:

There’s a lonely man lost/caught in the fog/he can’t find his face. Steve Balbi, ‘Sweet Sabotage’, 2013.

I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home/I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed. David Bowie, ‘The Man Who Sold The World’, 1970.

While the album exudes a certain darkness, a standout track, ‘What Do You Do’, uses a ukulele, paired with an electric guitar and light-hearted vocals. A highlight of the album is Balbi’s reworking of the Noiseworks classic ‘Touch’. This sensitive piece is re-done well, using a few select instruments and highlighting Balbi’s strong vocals, as well as the poetic lyrics.

Another day is going out/A sea of faces crying out/With all we have today/You think we'd stop and take a look now/And all I want to say/Is maybe that we should reach out, everybody.

As well as providing a satisfying throwback to Balbi’s earlier years, ‘Black Rainbow’ has given the veteran musician a chance to develop his unique style, incorporating mature, toned-down grunge and showcasing reflective, poetic tunes.

SHANGRI-LA - ALBUM.

UK-singer/songwriter Jake Bugg is back, and at only 19, the quick release of his new album 'Shangri-La' is an ideal indication that the youngster is bursting with new ideas and is quickly settling in to stardom and fame. 




Recorded with the infamous producer Rick Rubin at Shangri-La studio in Malibu – hence the album title – 'Shangri-La' portrays an artist who is clearly expanding exponentially but is still able to keep his trademark sound. By 'trademark sound' I'm referring to, of course, his nasal vocals which have continued to link comparisons to the immortal, Bob Dylan.

It's obvious that Jake Bugg is making strides to widen his repertoire, and working with Rick Rubin is undoubtedly the beginning of something tremendous waiting just around the corner. Although not everyone has a taste for Rubin's  fondness for excessive compression and loudness, this style is certainly perfect for Bugg. The 'nakedness' of tracks that he applied with artists such as Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chili Peppers works beautifully on the garage rock revival tracks like "There's a Beast and We All Feed It" and "Slumville Sunrise." The album is a constant mixture of folk and rock, like "Messed Up Kids", which introduces us to a new side of Bugg, providing us with a much more poetic viewpoint ("It's a washed-out Saturday, a sky of pastel shades, under breeze-block palisades").


We see Jake exploring more of that rough, tough, 'working-class' feel with developments on his bad boy image created in older material (like previously featured 'Two Fingers', which was pretty badass) - such as in the song 'Kingpin' with the lyrics "Pay off the police to stay out of my way / I got it all sewn up and I'm kingpin for a day" - and with the more gritty, low-fi dirty sound this album produces. Other examples of this more jagged, unpolished atmosphere is seen especially in songs such as 'What Doesn't Kill You' with its ferocious guitar distortion and Jake's flinging delivery, paired with uninhibited vocal projection.


There is no doubt Jake Bugg will live up to his potential within his next few releases. However, on 'Shangri La', Bugg is still searching within himself for that special something and - providing he manages to discover anything breathtaking by the time he begins working on album number three, he could very well establish himself as a serious performer for years to come. But for now, Jake Bugg is a 'Mercury Award Nominated' performer and I'm sure there will be plenty more nominations in the near future.

Jake will be touring Australia as part of Bluesfest 2014, and will be holding a few sideshows in the major cities. Tour dates are below:

Thursday 17 April
Melbourne, Palace Theatre


Sunday 20 April
Sydney, Enmore Theatre


Wednesday 23 April
The HiFi, Brisbane

Check out some of the optional e's favourites: "What Doesn't Kill You" and "Slumville Sunrise"

YOUR BODY IS A WEAPON.

Falls Festival this year is set to amaze with a brilliant lineup. We thought we'd review some of the artists that are performing, so after the jump, here is THE WOMBATS.

NEW RELEASES.

It came to my attention that quite a lot of bands and artists are releasing new albums.

Whether that is a result of many years of careful songwriting or a mad scramble for cash after going bankrupt, I don't know.

Actually bands release albums all the time but I just never pay attention. Haha.

But let's go.

The Weight of Your Love - Editors

So the new release that kind of kickstarted this post is 'The Weight of Your Love' by Editors.

Aside from the really cheesy band name, it's a dark, intricate album with soundscapes that just submerge the listener. I really enjoyed the track 'A Ton of Love' (ew spelling though) with it's soaring, belting vocals. The jumpy bass really adds to it, like it does in the easy-to-listen 'Formaldehyde', which has a really catchy chorus ('formaldehyyyyyyyde').

It was only released three days ago (on the 5th) but I don't think people will pounce on it immediately - it'll sound so much better in retrospect. It's a cracker album, don't get me wrong, but I can't see it catching like wildfire just yet. Think I'd give it three and a half stars - the songs sort of meld a bit too closely.

Even the Stars Are a Mess - Whitley

After the beauty of 'Go Forth' and 'The Submarine', Lawrence Greenwood has returned with a smokey, intimate album. This exquisite work has such delicate songs, from the poignant, lyrical 'TV' to the pleading 'I Am Not A Rock'.

Whitley's voice has just matured and is now so truthful and intoxicating. This is definitely a good album.

This was released on the same day as the Editors album but I think it will settle into Triple J airplay pretty well - it's timeless music. Relaxing yet heartfelt. Probably a four stars.

The Beginning and the End of Everything - Josh Pyke

Josh Pyke has a lovely voice and all but I've never been much of a fan of his mainly because his songs don't stick in my head that well. Even his voice isn't exactly distinctive (say, like Florence Welch) so even though I enjoy his songs when I listen I can't pick them out too well. However, this album has really highlighted his diversity and I think it could definitely pick things up.

The short, sweet 'Bug Eyed Beauty' is channels a bit of bluegrass and folk, which only continues in the song 'Leeward Side' with its harmonica. This album definitely has a very folky, country-ish feel (which I normally don't listen to - I hate country) but at least Josh's voice alleviates the pain.

This new direction made me listen to his older stuff in more depth and I can say I prefer his older, indie rock music more than this brand new shift.

The more folky Josh Pyke is still palatable but I can't help but feel his older material is easier to identify with and really appreciate - it sticks more easily and brings out Josh's lovely voice more.

Sex Games - Diviney

Ah, the solo project of Shaun Diviney. You may remember him from that punk band Short Stack, but this is totally different.

I honestly couldn't find anything on this album that really stood out for me as brilliant - there were snippets here are there in some songs that I enjoyed but that didn't really last for long.

Some songs start out quite promising but then descend into a bit of a repetitive, uninspired mess. 'Skeleton' is alright I guess, and 'Sex Games' pulls itself through although I really think this album is a pristine specimen that sex sells. The songs become so repetitive they sound like they were written by a bunch of Year 7s in their pop music topic.

I guess this could be palmed off as one of those generic albums you get when a pop artist tries to crossover into rock and be all hardcore and indie and whatever but when you fronted a fresh, exciting punk band then tried to cross into pop it just becomes a hot mess.

I really can't give this album more than a three so I think I'll settle for a two and a half stars. Sorry, mate. It's so predictable.

Just saying the above is not from his new album, it's an old Short Stack song. I just thought that would be much better than his new stuff.



Melody Pool released her album Xavier this week, and of course we had the Arctic Monkeys song here.
We also got a great, quirky new song from Architecture in Helsinki called 'In The Future' - I really hope their new album is as good as they say it will be. Their previous record 'Moment Bends' was fantastic but seeing the new song with a string section, I am very excited.
Boy & Bear released that new track but honestly all their songs are starting to sound like that formulaic twangy folk (take the hint Josh Pyke).
The new Glass Towers album is also pretty good - 'Halcyon Days' is exactly what you'd expect it to be. Warm, nostalgic, optimistic pop, I really quite enjoyed it.

So there's the new releases! Look at me now; I am keeping up with the hip young people! :D