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Where the Angels Fall

Where the Angels Fall is the ninth studio album by Australian band the Cat Empire, released on 25 August 2023 through Two Shoes Records. It was co-produced by Felix Riebl, Ollie McGill, Ross Irwin, and Andy Baldwin, who had previously worked on their self-titled debut in 2003. Recording took place from October to November 2022 at the Merri-bek City Band Room, a community music space in Brunswick, Victoria. It is the first album released by the band following the departure of original members Ryan Monro, Harry James Angus, Will Hull-Brown and Jamshid Khadiwhala, and the first with new members Grace Barbé, Daniel Farrugia, Neda Rahmani and Lazaro Numa.[1]

Where the Angels Fall
Studio album by
Released25 August 2023 (2023-08-25)
Recorded10 October – 21 November 2022
StudioMerri-bek City Band Room, Brunswick
Genre
Length51:38
LabelTwo Shoes
Producer
The Cat Empire chronology
Stolen Diamonds
(2019)
Where the Angels Fall
(2023)
Singles from Where the Angels Fall
  1. "Thunder Rumbles"
    Released: 30 March 2023
  2. "Rock 'n' Roll"
    Released: 12 May 2023
  3. "Money Coming My Way"
    Released: 22 June 2023
  4. "Owl"
    Released: 4 August 2023

The album peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart, and produced four singles; "Thunder Rumbles", "Rock 'n' Roll", "Money Coming My Way" and "Owl". To promote the album, the band made several television appearances and a tour of Australia and North America. It was distributed digitally by Ditto Music, and on vinyl by Diggers Factory.[2] The release of the album came more than four and a half years after their previous album, Stolen Diamonds (2019), the longest gap between their albums to date.

Background and recording edit

In March 2021, Monro, the group's original bassist, left the band.[3] It was announced in September that Hull-Brown, Angus and Khadiwala would also leave after a final set of shows, the last of which took place at the 2022 Byron Bay Bluesfest.[4] Riebl and McGill stated that they would lead a new iteration of the group, with the intent of "taking the band forward into its next global chapter as a re-imagined, vibrant, cross-cultural, and joyful collective of musicians and artists.”[5] On 6 September 2022, it was announced that the independent management company Lemon Tree Music would sign the Cat Empire.[6][7]

The album was the first recorded with the band's newly altered lineup, the new members of which were announced on the group's social media platforms in late 2022.[8] Daniel Farrugia, the band's new drummer, had been their touring drummer for several years, filling in for Will Hull-Brown before his eventual departure.[9] Neda Rahmani was a longtime friend of the band for many years before joining. She stated that the decision to join the group was a "logical move, and made creative sense to me - I didn't need to deliberate over it for a second".[1] Grace Barbé toured with the band in Australia in 2019 before joining them. Jamie Searle, a member of her band, learnt on that tour that some of the original members were planning to leave the Cat Empire, and suggested that Barbé would be a good candidate for the role of bass player.[10] Lazaro Numa joined The Empire Horns as a trumpeter after Irwin heard his playing in "some of Australia's best Afro-Cuban bands".[11] It is also the band's first release since The Cat Empire (2003) to be produced by Andy Baldwin.

Recorded of the album commenced on 10 October 2022,[12] and concluded on 21 November 2022.[13] in the Merri-bek City Band Room, a community music space in Brunswick, which was still under construction during recording. The current iteration of the hall, which has existed in various forms since 1882, was set up by Phil Noy, a friend of the band who had played saxophone on two of their previous albums.[14][15] Riebl stated that "we made an album in the EGREM studios in Havana. [...] That studio had a beautiful roominess, something we were trying to recapture in the Merri-bek City Band Room."[16]

The album features a more expansive production style than the band's prior releases.[17][18] They took advantage of the larger recording space to book more musicians, and a total of 75 musicians appear on the album, compared to the band's previous record of 20 on Two Shoes (2005).[19] Of the decision to include so many musicians, Riebl said;

"When we came to record the album, I wanted to think about the Cat Empire more as a community of musicians than just a like-for-like replacement of band members. [...] It was really important for us to treat every song like a world of its own, and so we brought in a lot of musicians to create and reflect that."

"Instead of layering up three horns a few times to get a nine-horn sound, we’d get nine horn players", he said.[1] "The space we'd chosen to work in allowed us to make a clear decision: no doubling things where we could help it. We just needed to book more musicians!”[16] The band developed their own custom-made samples for use on the album, rather than using existing ones. Some of them feature Barbé and Rahmani singing in their native tongues of Seychellois Creole[20] and Portuguese, respectively.[16] It is the band's first album since So Many Nights (2007) to feature a string section,[21] although Steal the Light (2013) featured violinist Al Burkoy of Tinpan Orange.[22]

Composition and sound edit

Where the Angels Fall features an eclectic mixture of musical styles, including Latin music, Afro-Cuban jazz and reggae.[24] The influence of Latin music is evident on tracks such as "Thunder Rumbles"[25] and "Oh Mercy",[26] while "Owl" and "Rock 'n' Roll" are influenced by flamenco.[9] Other genre-spanning songs on the album include the reggae-influenced cut "Walls", and the rock and roll song "Dance the Night Away".[20]

"Thunder Rumbles" opens the album with a sousaphone riff, performed by Jay Scarlett. The title of the album is taken from a line in the second verse, "I like the space 'tween words where the angels fall". The band described the lyrics as "a brawl of celebration", and the song as "high-octane from start to finish". The Horns of Leroy appear prominently on the track.[27] "Boom Boom" was written about "a city of music reemerging," in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. It began as a vocal hook by Riebl, before more elements were added. Mohamed Camara and Boubacar Gaye, percussionists from Ausecuma Beats, appear on the song. "Money Coming My Way" was written about the cost of living. The Heidelberg Wind Ensemble make a guest appearance on the song, who happened to be rehearsing in the space while the band was recording. Baldwin plays the role of the police officer in the song's bridge.[20]

"Dance the Night Away" was written about Riebl's then six-year-old daughter Anya. The song "Owl" began life as a jam session between Riebl, McGill, and Richard and Johnny Tedesco, flamenco musicians and friends of the band.[28] The group described it as "the most epic, expansive song on the album". Jeff Jenkins of STACK called it "thrilling", and dubbed it the album's highlight.[29][30] "Be With You Again" was written by Riebl about the death of his younger brother Max, who died at the age of 30 from cancer.[31] It features a Brazilian drumming section, conducted by Rahmani, and another appearance from the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble. It is Riebl's favourite track on the album.[1] The album's final track, "Drift Away", is a duet between Riebl and Barbé, who sings a verse in Seychellois Creole. It was influenced by the album An Evening with Belafonte/Mouskouri.[20]

Release and promotion edit

On 4 August 2022, the band released the first teaser of their new music on their YouTube channel.[32] Various teasers were released in the following months on their social media. A snippet of "Thunder Rumbles", the album's lead single, was released on 27 March 2023, and the full song was released three days later.[33] The song premiered on Double J.[25] It peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) Metro Charts, remaining in that position for two weeks.[34] The song's music video was directed by Nick Campbell and produced by Josh Harris. Giulia McGauran, who designed the album cover, provided creative direction for the video. Her work on the packaging inspired the video's visuals. It was filmed with a single camcorder, and inspired by music videos from the 1980s and 1990s.[27]

On May 12, the band revealed the album's release date and album cover,[35] and "Rock 'n' Roll" was released as the second single. The song's release was accompanied by a lyric video, in which a pair of headphones travel through various pairs of hands. It was filmed on their 2023 tour of Europe and Australia.[9] The song debuted at No. 1 on the AMRAP Metro Charts, and stayed in that position for two weeks.

 
The Cat Empire at the Merri-bek City Band Room, celebrating the launch of Where the Angels Fall, 25 August 2023. From left to right: R. Tedesco, McGill, Noy, Numa, Irwin, Conrau, Riebl, Farrugia, Rahmani and Yuri Pavlinov.

"Money Coming My Way" was released as the album's third single on 22 June. The song's music video depicts the members of the band, dressed as employees, conducting a robbery of a grocery store. It was directed by Josh Harris. "I don't think we've ever had so much fun making a video clip," said Riebl of the filming.[34] It peaked at No. 2 on the AMRAP Metro Charts, kept off the No. 1 position by "Lookin' Out" by King Stingray.[36] The band announced a tour a month later.[37] The final single from the album, "Owl", was released on 4 August.[38] Riebl and McGill made a guest appearance on The Project on 23 August to discuss the album.[39] On the day before the album's release, "Oh Mercy", "Walls" and "Drift Away" were released on the band's YouTube channel,[40][41][42] and they performed on ABC Radio National.[43]

Where the Angels Fall was released on 25 August 2023. It was made available as a CD, LP and digital download. A music video for "Boom Boom", similar in style to the video for "Thunder Rumbles" and directed by Campbell, was also released on the day.[44] A launch party was held at the Merri-bek City Band Room to mark the album's release.[45] It peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart. Over August and September, a four-part documentary on the album's recording was released.[46] Riebl, McGill and Rahmani guest programmed on Rage on the 16th of September. It was their second time guest programming on the show - they had previously hosted it in April 2004.[47]

Touring edit

 
Rahmani, Irwin, Numa and Riebl performing live at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 22 October 2023.

The band supported the album with a world tour of Australia and North America, which they announced on 27 June. It began in September with a show at the Enmore Theatre, in Sydney. The Australian leg of the tour consisted of six shows,[48] the last of which took place at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne on 6 October. The Australian-New Zealand[49] band Coterie supported the band on every show of the Australian leg. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Steph Strings supported them on every show except for the first, where Sri-Lankan born[50] musician Roshani took her place.[37]

They embarked on the North American leg of the tour on 18 October, with a show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Florida. After playing ten shows in the United States, they travelled to Canada, where they played four consecutive shows, once again supported by Strings. They went back to the U.S. on 6 November for nine shows, before returning to Canada on 20 November, where they played four shows in a row. The final show of the tour, supported by Marissa Mur, took place in Mexico City at the Auditorio Blackberry on 26 November 2023. The Edinburgh[51] ensemble High Fade supported them on all of their U.S. dates. In the following month, they appeared at three music festivals. On 3 December, they performed at the SummerSalt festival at Torquay Common, and six days later, they played at the Music at the Park festival at Mornington Park. The following day, they performed at the first Let the Good Times Roll festival[52] at Memorial Park, on the Ocean Stage.[53][54]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Mondo Sonoro          [17]

The album received generally positive reviews. Orpheo stated that the album was "packed with explosive, diverse sounds and vibrant energy, as well as intimate and heartfelt moments that will leave listeners captivated from start to finish". They praised the album for "encapsulat[ing] the dynamics of their live shows".[24] Marta Terrasa of Mondo Sonoro said that the album "recovers the enthusiasm of their beginnings and adds all the baggage of an extensive career", and that "you'd have to live in the bowels of the earth not to succumb to the euphoric pulsations of The Cat Empire, if only for a little while".[17] Un Disco Al Día's Fernando Neira dubbed the album "a genuine, efficient and effective display; a painkiller with a spirit as colourful as the cover", but said that "happiness can get tiring, believe it or not, and some euphoric episodes, such as "Coming Back Again" become rather showy and excessive".[23]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Felix Riebl, except where noted.

Where the Angels Fall track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Thunder Rumbles"
  • Felix Riebl
  • Neda Rahmani
2:55
2."Boom Boom"
  • Riebl
  • Ollie McGill
  • Roscoe James Irwin
3:05
3."Money Coming My Way"
  • Riebl
  • McGill
  • Irwin
  • Andy Baldwin
3:03
4."Deeper"
  • Riebl
  • McGill
3:23
5."Owl"
  • Riebl
  • McGill
  • Irwin
  • Richard Tedesco
5:16
6."Dance the Night Away" 3:49
7."Be With You Again" 4:34
8."Rock 'n' Roll"
  • Riebl
  • Tedesco
3:37
9."Coming Back Again" 4:11
10."West Sun" 3:07
11."Old Dog, New Trick"
  • Riebl
  • McGill
  • Irwin
3:23
12."Oh Mercy"
  • Riebl
  • Rahmani
  • Harry James Angus
4:51
13."Walls" 3:27
14."Drift Away"
  • Riebl
  • Grace Barbé
2:49
Total length:51:38

Personnel edit

Adapted from the liner notes.[2]

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Kennedy, Jade (8 September 2023). "'Music Has Kind of Been a Godsend': How The Cat Empire Made Their Most Fun & Cathartic Album Yet". Rolling Stone. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b Where the Angels Fall (LP liner notes). The Cat Empire. Two Shoes Records, Diggers Factory. 2023. TCE015LP.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ . thecatempire.com. The Cat Empire. 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  4. ^ Rose, Anna (15 April 2022). "Watch The Cat Empire's original line-up play their final show together at Bluesfest 2022". NME. from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  5. ^ Gray, Geordie (16 September 2021). "The Cat Empire Announce Dissolution of Original Lineup". Rolling Stone. from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  6. ^ Brandle, Lars (6 September 2022). "Lemon Tree Music Signs The Cat Empire, Adds 5 Bigsound-Bound Talents (EXCLUSIVE)". The Music Network. from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  7. ^ . lemontreemusic.com.au. Lemon Tree Music. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  8. ^ Multiple references;
    • "New band member announcement ⭐️". 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023 – via Instagram.
    • "New band member announcement 📣". 26 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023 – via Instagram.
    • "New band member announcement ⭐️". 3 October 2022. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023 – via Instagram.
    • "New band member announcement 🥁". 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023 – via Instagram.
  9. ^ a b c Gallagher, Alex (13 May 2023). "The Cat Empire announce new album 'Where The Angels Fall' and share new single". NME. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  10. ^ Gordon, Bob (5 April 2023). "Grace Barbé is living the dream". X-Press Magazine. from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  11. ^ Duguay, Rob (27 September 2023). "Interview: With A New Lineup & New Album, The Cat Empire Are Playing the Royale". Culture Beat. from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  12. ^ "New album - Day1". 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023 – via Instagram.
  13. ^ "Album recording is complete! We've been listening back to the mixes and can't wait to share these songs with you soon..." facebook.com. 21 November 2022. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  14. ^ Cinema (CD liner notes). The Cat Empire. EMI Music Australia. 2010. 6411631.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Stolen Diamonds (LP liner notes). The Cat Empire. Two Shoes Records. 2019. TCE013LP.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ a b c Lewis, Gabriel (20 September 2023). "Fresh Produce: The Cat Empire Strikes Back". Audio Technology. from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  17. ^ a b c Terrasa, Marta (4 September 2023). "Where the Angels Fall". Mondo Sonoro. from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  18. ^ Fosdike, Tahney (14 August 2023). "'Vibrant, colourful, overflowing': The Cat Empire are on the brink of a new era". Beat Magazine. from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  19. ^ Two Shoes (CD liner notes). The Cat Empire. Virgin Records. 2005. 0946 3 11221 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ a b c d e "Track By Track: The Cat Empire Break Down New Album 'Where The Angels Fall'". Music Feeds. 29 August 2023. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  21. ^ So Many Nights (CD liner notes). The Cat Empire. EMI Music Australia. 2007. 506 3832.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Steal the Light (CD liner notes). The Cat Empire. Two Shoes Record. 2013. TCE009CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ a b "The Cat Empire: "Where the angels fall" (2023)". Un Disco Al Día. 25 September 2023. from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  24. ^ a b "The Cat Empire publican su nuevo y más completo disco: 'Where The Angels Fall'". Orpheo. 29 August 2023. from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  25. ^ a b "THE CAT EMPIRE Roar On New Track 'THUNDER RUMBLES'". The Rockpit. 1 April 2023. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  26. ^ "The Cat Empire: "Where The Angels Fall" (The Cat Empire Disc)". Orpheo. 10 October 2023. from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  27. ^ a b Robinson, Ellie (2 April 2023). "The Cat Empire debut new band line-up, share single 'Thunder Rumbles'". NME. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  28. ^ "It's here! We couldn't be more proud to share this particular song with you all". Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023 – via Instagram.
  29. ^ Jenkins, Jeff (29 August 2023). "Does The Cat Empire's line-up revamp sink or support their ninth LP?". STACK. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Go Behind-The-Scenes Of The Cat Empire's New Album 'Where The Angels Fall'". The Music. 25 August 2023. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  31. ^ Andriani, Ria (3 May 2022). "Vale Australian Countertenor Max Riebl who has died at the age of 30". ABC Classic. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  32. ^ "The Cat Empire - New Chapter" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  33. ^ "'Thunder Rumbles' is out this Thursday #newmusic #shorts #thecatempire" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  34. ^ a b "THE CAT EMPIRE Release New Single & Clip 'Money Coming My Way'". The Rockpit. 24 June 2023. from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  35. ^ "We are so excited to finally announce that our new album 'Where The Angels Fall' will be coming out on August 25th. It's bloody epic and features so many of our nearest and dearest musical friends in all sorts of carnival-istic musical scenarios. You can pre-order it now (link in our bio)". Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023 – via Instagram.
  36. ^ "AMRAP Charts". amrap.org.au. from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  37. ^ a b LeFevre, Jules (11 July 2023). "The Cat Empire Announce National Tour in Support of Forthcoming Album 'Where The Angels Fall'". Music Feeds. from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  38. ^ "Owl - The Cat Empire". Apple Music. 4 August 2023. from the original on 10 November 2023.
  39. ^ "The Cat Empire On The Music Behind Our First Ever Promo" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  40. ^ "The Cat Empire - Oh Mercy (Visualizer)" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  41. ^ "The Cat Empire - Walls (Visualizer)" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  42. ^ "The Cat Empire - Drift Away (Visualizer)" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  43. ^ We performed a couple of our new songs today for ABC Radio National 🐱 @ABC Australia #newmusic #behindthescenes #thecatempire. tiktok.com. @thecatempireofficial. 24 August 2023. from the original on 20 January 2024.
  44. ^ "The Cat Empire - Boom Boom (Official Music Video)" (video). youtube.com. The Cat Empire. 4 August 2022. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  45. ^ Phillips, Greg (26 August 2023). "CAT EMPIRE ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY". Australian Musician. from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  46. ^ Multiple references;
    • "Where The Angels Fall - Documentary (Part 1)" (video). facebook.com. The Cat Empire. 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
    • "Where The Angels Fall - Documentary (Part 2)" (video). facebook.com. The Cat Empire. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
    • "Where The Angels Fall - Documentary (Part 3)" (video). facebook.com. The Cat Empire. 4 September 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
    • "Where The Angels Fall - Documentary (Part 4)" (video). facebook.com. The Cat Empire. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  47. ^ "The Cat Empire guest program rage". ABC. 12 September 2023. from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  48. ^ . thecatempire.com. The Cat Empire. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  49. ^ Mane, Aroha (1 October 2021). "Coterie brotherhood ready to break into Aotearoa music scene". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  50. ^ "ROSHANI supported by BOOX KID". X-Press Magazine. from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  51. ^ "High Fade: The Hardest Working Band in Funk". Ten of Clubs. from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  52. ^ "What a way to end our first Let The Good Times Roll, with an incredible set from rock royalty @grinspoon_band ⚡️". 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023 – via Instagram.
  53. ^ . thecatempire.com. The Cat Empire. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  54. ^ . Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  55. ^ "ARIA Top 20 Australian Albums for week of 4 September 2023". ARIA Charts. 4 September 2023. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.

External links edit

  • Where the Angels Fall at Discogs (list of releases)
  • Where the Angels Fall at MusicBrainz (list of releases)

where, angels, fall, ninth, studio, album, australian, band, empire, released, august, 2023, through, shoes, records, produced, felix, riebl, ollie, mcgill, ross, irwin, andy, baldwin, previously, worked, their, self, titled, debut, 2003, recording, took, plac. Where the Angels Fall is the ninth studio album by Australian band the Cat Empire released on 25 August 2023 through Two Shoes Records It was co produced by Felix Riebl Ollie McGill Ross Irwin and Andy Baldwin who had previously worked on their self titled debut in 2003 Recording took place from October to November 2022 at the Merri bek City Band Room a community music space in Brunswick Victoria It is the first album released by the band following the departure of original members Ryan Monro Harry James Angus Will Hull Brown and Jamshid Khadiwhala and the first with new members Grace Barbe Daniel Farrugia Neda Rahmani and Lazaro Numa 1 Where the Angels FallStudio album by the Cat EmpireReleased25 August 2023 2023 08 25 Recorded10 October 21 November 2022StudioMerri bek City Band Room BrunswickGenreLatin Afro Cuban jazz reggae rock flamencoLength51 38LabelTwo ShoesProducerAndy Baldwin Felix Riebl Ollie McGill Roscoe James IrwinThe Cat Empire chronologyStolen Diamonds 2019 Where the Angels Fall 2023 Singles from Where the Angels Fall Thunder Rumbles Released 30 March 2023 Rock n Roll Released 12 May 2023 Money Coming My Way Released 22 June 2023 Owl Released 4 August 2023The album peaked at No 5 on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart and produced four singles Thunder Rumbles Rock n Roll Money Coming My Way and Owl To promote the album the band made several television appearances and a tour of Australia and North America It was distributed digitally by Ditto Music and on vinyl by Diggers Factory 2 The release of the album came more than four and a half years after their previous album Stolen Diamonds 2019 the longest gap between their albums to date Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Composition and sound 3 Release and promotion 4 Touring 5 Critical reception 6 Track listing 7 Personnel 8 Charts 9 References 10 External linksBackground and recording editIn March 2021 Monro the group s original bassist left the band 3 It was announced in September that Hull Brown Angus and Khadiwala would also leave after a final set of shows the last of which took place at the 2022 Byron Bay Bluesfest 4 Riebl and McGill stated that they would lead a new iteration of the group with the intent of taking the band forward into its next global chapter as a re imagined vibrant cross cultural and joyful collective of musicians and artists 5 On 6 September 2022 it was announced that the independent management company Lemon Tree Music would sign the Cat Empire 6 7 The album was the first recorded with the band s newly altered lineup the new members of which were announced on the group s social media platforms in late 2022 8 Daniel Farrugia the band s new drummer had been their touring drummer for several years filling in for Will Hull Brown before his eventual departure 9 Neda Rahmani was a longtime friend of the band for many years before joining She stated that the decision to join the group was a logical move and made creative sense to me I didn t need to deliberate over it for a second 1 Grace Barbe toured with the band in Australia in 2019 before joining them Jamie Searle a member of her band learnt on that tour that some of the original members were planning to leave the Cat Empire and suggested that Barbe would be a good candidate for the role of bass player 10 Lazaro Numa joined The Empire Horns as a trumpeter after Irwin heard his playing in some of Australia s best Afro Cuban bands 11 It is also the band s first release since The Cat Empire 2003 to be produced by Andy Baldwin Recorded of the album commenced on 10 October 2022 12 and concluded on 21 November 2022 13 in the Merri bek City Band Room a community music space in Brunswick which was still under construction during recording The current iteration of the hall which has existed in various forms since 1882 was set up by Phil Noy a friend of the band who had played saxophone on two of their previous albums 14 15 Riebl stated that we made an album in the EGREM studios in Havana That studio had a beautiful roominess something we were trying to recapture in the Merri bek City Band Room 16 The album features a more expansive production style than the band s prior releases 17 18 They took advantage of the larger recording space to book more musicians and a total of 75 musicians appear on the album compared to the band s previous record of 20 on Two Shoes 2005 19 Of the decision to include so many musicians Riebl said When we came to record the album I wanted to think about the Cat Empire more as a community of musicians than just a like for like replacement of band members It was really important for us to treat every song like a world of its own and so we brought in a lot of musicians to create and reflect that Instead of layering up three horns a few times to get a nine horn sound we d get nine horn players he said 1 The space we d chosen to work in allowed us to make a clear decision no doubling things where we could help it We just needed to book more musicians 16 The band developed their own custom made samples for use on the album rather than using existing ones Some of them feature Barbe and Rahmani singing in their native tongues of Seychellois Creole 20 and Portuguese respectively 16 It is the band s first album since So Many Nights 2007 to feature a string section 21 although Steal the Light 2013 featured violinist Al Burkoy of Tinpan Orange 22 Composition and sound edit nbsp Owl source source track A sample of the Cat Empire s Owl some critics and the band themselves noted the song for being one of their most ambitious 23 20 Problems playing this file See media help Where the Angels Fall features an eclectic mixture of musical styles including Latin music Afro Cuban jazz and reggae 24 The influence of Latin music is evident on tracks such as Thunder Rumbles 25 and Oh Mercy 26 while Owl and Rock n Roll are influenced by flamenco 9 Other genre spanning songs on the album include the reggae influenced cut Walls and the rock and roll song Dance the Night Away 20 Thunder Rumbles opens the album with a sousaphone riff performed by Jay Scarlett The title of the album is taken from a line in the second verse I like the space tween words where the angels fall The band described the lyrics as a brawl of celebration and the song as high octane from start to finish The Horns of Leroy appear prominently on the track 27 Boom Boom was written about a city of music reemerging in the wake of the COVID 19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 It began as a vocal hook by Riebl before more elements were added Mohamed Camara and Boubacar Gaye percussionists from Ausecuma Beats appear on the song Money Coming My Way was written about the cost of living The Heidelberg Wind Ensemble make a guest appearance on the song who happened to be rehearsing in the space while the band was recording Baldwin plays the role of the police officer in the song s bridge 20 Dance the Night Away was written about Riebl s then six year old daughter Anya The song Owl began life as a jam session between Riebl McGill and Richard and Johnny Tedesco flamenco musicians and friends of the band 28 The group described it as the most epic expansive song on the album Jeff Jenkins of STACK called it thrilling and dubbed it the album s highlight 29 30 Be With You Again was written by Riebl about the death of his younger brother Max who died at the age of 30 from cancer 31 It features a Brazilian drumming section conducted by Rahmani and another appearance from the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble It is Riebl s favourite track on the album 1 The album s final track Drift Away is a duet between Riebl and Barbe who sings a verse in Seychellois Creole It was influenced by the album An Evening with Belafonte Mouskouri 20 Release and promotion editOn 4 August 2022 the band released the first teaser of their new music on their YouTube channel 32 Various teasers were released in the following months on their social media A snippet of Thunder Rumbles the album s lead single was released on 27 March 2023 and the full song was released three days later 33 The song premiered on Double J 25 It peaked at No 1 on the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project AMRAP Metro Charts remaining in that position for two weeks 34 The song s music video was directed by Nick Campbell and produced by Josh Harris Giulia McGauran who designed the album cover provided creative direction for the video Her work on the packaging inspired the video s visuals It was filmed with a single camcorder and inspired by music videos from the 1980s and 1990s 27 On May 12 the band revealed the album s release date and album cover 35 and Rock n Roll was released as the second single The song s release was accompanied by a lyric video in which a pair of headphones travel through various pairs of hands It was filmed on their 2023 tour of Europe and Australia 9 The song debuted at No 1 on the AMRAP Metro Charts and stayed in that position for two weeks nbsp The Cat Empire at the Merri bek City Band Room celebrating the launch of Where the Angels Fall 25 August 2023 From left to right R Tedesco McGill Noy Numa Irwin Conrau Riebl Farrugia Rahmani and Yuri Pavlinov Money Coming My Way was released as the album s third single on 22 June The song s music video depicts the members of the band dressed as employees conducting a robbery of a grocery store It was directed by Josh Harris I don t think we ve ever had so much fun making a video clip said Riebl of the filming 34 It peaked at No 2 on the AMRAP Metro Charts kept off the No 1 position by Lookin Out by King Stingray 36 The band announced a tour a month later 37 The final single from the album Owl was released on 4 August 38 Riebl and McGill made a guest appearance on The Project on 23 August to discuss the album 39 On the day before the album s release Oh Mercy Walls and Drift Away were released on the band s YouTube channel 40 41 42 and they performed on ABC Radio National 43 Where the Angels Fall was released on 25 August 2023 It was made available as a CD LP and digital download A music video for Boom Boom similar in style to the video for Thunder Rumbles and directed by Campbell was also released on the day 44 A launch party was held at the Merri bek City Band Room to mark the album s release 45 It peaked at No 5 on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart Over August and September a four part documentary on the album s recording was released 46 Riebl McGill and Rahmani guest programmed on Rage on the 16th of September It was their second time guest programming on the show they had previously hosted it in April 2004 47 Touring edit nbsp Rahmani Irwin Numa and Riebl performing live at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater 22 October 2023 The band supported the album with a world tour of Australia and North America which they announced on 27 June It began in September with a show at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney The Australian leg of the tour consisted of six shows 48 the last of which took place at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne on 6 October The Australian New Zealand 49 band Coterie supported the band on every show of the Australian leg Singer songwriter and guitarist Steph Strings supported them on every show except for the first where Sri Lankan born 50 musician Roshani took her place 37 They embarked on the North American leg of the tour on 18 October with a show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Florida After playing ten shows in the United States they travelled to Canada where they played four consecutive shows once again supported by Strings They went back to the U S on 6 November for nine shows before returning to Canada on 20 November where they played four shows in a row The final show of the tour supported by Marissa Mur took place in Mexico City at the Auditorio Blackberry on 26 November 2023 The Edinburgh 51 ensemble High Fade supported them on all of their U S dates In the following month they appeared at three music festivals On 3 December they performed at the SummerSalt festival at Torquay Common and six days later they played at the Music at the Park festival at Mornington Park The following day they performed at the first Let the Good Times Roll festival 52 at Memorial Park on the Ocean Stage 53 54 Critical reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingMondo Sonoro nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 17 The album received generally positive reviews Orpheo stated that the album was packed with explosive diverse sounds and vibrant energy as well as intimate and heartfelt moments that will leave listeners captivated from start to finish They praised the album for encapsulat ing the dynamics of their live shows 24 Marta Terrasa of Mondo Sonoro said that the album recovers the enthusiasm of their beginnings and adds all the baggage of an extensive career and that you d have to live in the bowels of the earth not to succumb to the euphoric pulsations of The Cat Empire if only for a little while 17 Un Disco Al Dia s Fernando Neira dubbed the album a genuine efficient and effective display a painkiller with a spirit as colourful as the cover but said that happiness can get tiring believe it or not and some euphoric episodes such as Coming Back Again become rather showy and excessive 23 Track listing editAll tracks are written by Felix Riebl except where noted Where the Angels Fall track listingNo TitleWriter s Length1 Thunder Rumbles Felix RieblNeda Rahmani2 552 Boom Boom RieblOllie McGillRoscoe James Irwin3 053 Money Coming My Way RieblMcGillIrwinAndy Baldwin3 034 Deeper RieblMcGill3 235 Owl RieblMcGillIrwinRichard Tedesco5 166 Dance the Night Away 3 497 Be With You Again 4 348 Rock n Roll RieblTedesco3 379 Coming Back Again 4 1110 West Sun 3 0711 Old Dog New Trick RieblMcGillIrwin3 2312 Oh Mercy RieblRahmaniHarry James Angus4 5113 Walls 3 2714 Drift Away RieblGrace Barbe2 49Total length 51 38Personnel editAdapted from the liner notes 2 The Cat EmpireFelix Riebl lead vocals tres percussion Ollie McGill piano organ synths Grace Barbe lead amp backing vocals Neda Rahmani percussion backing vocals Lazaro Numa trumpet backing vocals Roscoe James Irwin trumpet backing vocals Kieran Conrau trombone backing vocals Danny Farrugia drums percussion Yuri Pavlinov bassAdditional musiciansHorns of Leroy horns Travis Woods trumpet Ben Harrison trumpet Chris Vizard trombone Nick Pietsch trombone Jay Scarlett sousaphone Heidelberg Wind Ensemble woodwinds on Money Coming My Way and Be With You Again Stephen Carpenter direction Mat Jodrell trumpet Ben Gillespie trombone Phil Noy baritone saxophone Richard Tedesco nylon string guitar palmas Johnny Tedesco cajon palmas Mohamed Camara West African percussion Boubacar Gaye West African percussion Edval Santos Brazilian percussion Mark Grunden Brazilian percussion Frank Gionfriddo shouts on Thunder Rumbles Andy Baldwin backing vocals percussion Giulia Giannini McGauran ocean drum GG phone Adrian Tjupurru Fabila didjeribone String musiciansCameron Jamieson Ioana Tache Madeleine Jevons Monica Curro Lynette Rayner Lisa Reynolds Ceridwen Davies Matt Laing Charlotte Jacke Kalina KrustevaTechnical personnelAndy Baldwin production mixing Felix Riebl production Ollie McGill production Roscoe James Irwin production horn and string arrangements orchestration Lachlan Carrick mastering Phil Noy assistant engineer lab services Giulia Giannini McGauran artwork Sebi White artwork designCharts editChart 2023 PeakpositionAustralian Albums ARIA 55 5References edit a b c d Kennedy Jade 8 September 2023 Music Has Kind of Been a Godsend How The Cat Empire Made Their Most Fun amp Cathartic Album Yet Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 27 October 2023 a b Where the Angels Fall LP liner notes The Cat Empire Two Shoes Records Diggers Factory 2023 TCE015LP a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link RYAN S HANGING UP HIS TOURING BOOTS thecatempire com The Cat Empire 11 March 2021 Archived from the original on 20 April 2021 Retrieved 15 November 2023 Rose Anna 15 April 2022 Watch The Cat Empire s original line up play their final show together at Bluesfest 2022 NME Archived from the original on 9 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 Gray Geordie 16 September 2021 The Cat Empire Announce Dissolution of Original Lineup Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 28 October 2023 Retrieved 28 October 2023 Brandle Lars 6 September 2022 Lemon Tree Music Signs The Cat Empire Adds 5 Bigsound Bound Talents EXCLUSIVE The Music Network Archived from the original on 24 December 2023 Retrieved 24 December 2023 Lemon Tree Music Homepage lemontreemusic com au Lemon Tree Music Archived from the original on 25 October 2023 Retrieved 24 December 2023 Multiple references New band member announcement 21 September 2022 Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 via Instagram New band member announcement 26 September 2022 Archived from the original on 25 December 2023 Retrieved 25 December 2023 via Instagram New band member announcement 3 October 2022 Archived from the original on 25 December 2023 Retrieved 25 December 2023 via Instagram New band member announcement 10 October 2022 Archived from the original on 25 December 2023 Retrieved 25 December 2023 via Instagram a b c Gallagher Alex 13 May 2023 The Cat Empire announce new album Where The Angels Fall and share new single NME Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 28 October 2023 Gordon Bob 5 April 2023 Grace Barbe is living the dream X Press Magazine Archived from the original on 31 October 2023 Retrieved 31 October 2023 Duguay Rob 27 September 2023 Interview With A New Lineup amp New Album The Cat Empire Are Playing the Royale Culture Beat Archived from the original on 31 October 2023 Retrieved 30 October 2023 New album Day1 10 October 2022 Archived from the original on 7 December 2023 Retrieved 7 December 2023 via Instagram Album recording is complete We ve been listening back to the mixes and can t wait to share these songs with you soon facebook com 21 November 2022 Archived from the original on 15 November 2023 Retrieved 14 November 2023 Cinema CD liner notes The Cat Empire EMI Music Australia 2010 6411631 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Stolen Diamonds LP liner notes The Cat Empire Two Shoes Records 2019 TCE013LP a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c Lewis Gabriel 20 September 2023 Fresh Produce The Cat Empire Strikes Back Audio Technology Archived from the original on 30 October 2023 Retrieved 30 October 2023 a b c Terrasa Marta 4 September 2023 Where the Angels Fall Mondo Sonoro Archived from the original on 17 November 2023 Retrieved 17 November 2023 Fosdike Tahney 14 August 2023 Vibrant colourful overflowing The Cat Empire are on the brink of a new era Beat Magazine Archived from the original on 30 October 2023 Retrieved 30 October 2023 Two Shoes CD liner notes The Cat Empire Virgin Records 2005 0946 3 11221 2 5 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c d e Track By Track The Cat Empire Break Down New Album Where The Angels Fall Music Feeds 29 August 2023 Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 28 October 2023 So Many Nights CD liner notes The Cat Empire EMI Music Australia 2007 506 3832 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Steal the Light CD liner notes The Cat Empire Two Shoes Record 2013 TCE009CD a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b The Cat Empire Where the angels fall 2023 Un Disco Al Dia 25 September 2023 Archived from the original on 17 November 2023 Retrieved 17 November 2023 a b The Cat Empire publican su nuevo y mas completo disco Where The Angels Fall Orpheo 29 August 2023 Archived from the original on 3 September 2023 Retrieved 17 November 2023 a b THE CAT EMPIRE Roar On New Track THUNDER RUMBLES The Rockpit 1 April 2023 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 18 November 2023 The Cat Empire Where The Angels Fall The Cat Empire Disc Orpheo 10 October 2023 Archived from the original on 12 October 2023 Retrieved 18 November 2023 a b Robinson Ellie 2 April 2023 The Cat Empire debut new band line up share single Thunder Rumbles NME Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 28 October 2023 It s here We couldn t be more proud to share this particular song with you all Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 via Instagram Jenkins Jeff 29 August 2023 Does The Cat Empire s line up revamp sink or support their ninth LP STACK Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 28 October 2023 Go Behind The Scenes Of The Cat Empire s New Album Where The Angels Fall The Music 25 August 2023 Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 27 October 2023 Andriani Ria 3 May 2022 Vale Australian Countertenor Max Riebl who has died at the age of 30 ABC Classic Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 27 October 2023 The Cat Empire New Chapter video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 9 November 2023 Retrieved 9 November 2023 Thunder Rumbles is out this Thursday newmusic shorts thecatempire video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 9 November 2023 Retrieved 9 November 2023 a b THE CAT EMPIRE Release New Single amp Clip Money Coming My Way The Rockpit 24 June 2023 Archived from the original on 9 November 2023 Retrieved 9 November 2023 We are so excited to finally announce that our new album Where The Angels Fall will be coming out on August 25th It s bloody epic and features so many of our nearest and dearest musical friends in all sorts of carnival istic musical scenarios You can pre order it now link in our bio Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 via Instagram AMRAP Charts amrap org au Archived from the original on 30 October 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 a b LeFevre Jules 11 July 2023 The Cat Empire Announce National Tour in Support of Forthcoming Album Where The Angels Fall Music Feeds Archived from the original on 18 July 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 Owl The Cat Empire Apple Music 4 August 2023 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 The Cat Empire On The Music Behind Our First Ever Promo video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 12 November 2023 Retrieved 12 November 2023 The Cat Empire Oh Mercy Visualizer video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 The Cat Empire Walls Visualizer video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 The Cat Empire Drift Away Visualizer video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 We performed a couple of our new songs today for ABC Radio National ABC Australia newmusic behindthescenes thecatempire tiktok com thecatempireofficial 24 August 2023 Archived from the original on 20 January 2024 The Cat Empire Boom Boom Official Music Video video youtube com The Cat Empire 4 August 2022 Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 Phillips Greg 26 August 2023 CAT EMPIRE ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY Australian Musician Archived from the original on 10 November 2023 Retrieved 10 November 2023 Multiple references Where The Angels Fall Documentary Part 1 video facebook com The Cat Empire 21 August 2023 Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 Where The Angels Fall Documentary Part 2 video facebook com The Cat Empire 30 August 2023 Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 Where The Angels Fall Documentary Part 3 video facebook com The Cat Empire 4 September 2023 Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 Where The Angels Fall Documentary Part 4 video facebook com The Cat Empire 7 September 2023 Archived from the original on 12 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 The Cat Empire guest program rage ABC 12 September 2023 Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 The Cat Empire Homepage thecatempire com The Cat Empire Archived from the original on 3 September 2023 Retrieved 18 November 2023 Mane Aroha 1 October 2021 Coterie brotherhood ready to break into Aotearoa music scene Te Ao Maori News Retrieved 27 August 2022 ROSHANI supported by BOOX KID X Press Magazine Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 High Fade The Hardest Working Band in Funk Ten of Clubs Archived from the original on 11 November 2023 Retrieved 11 November 2023 What a way to end our first Let The Good Times Roll with an incredible set from rock royalty grinspoon band 12 December 2023 Archived from the original on 24 December 2023 Retrieved 24 December 2023 via Instagram The Cat Empire Homepage thecatempire com The Cat Empire Archived from the original on 21 October 2023 Retrieved 24 December 2023 Let the Good Times Roll Archived from the original on 16 December 2023 Retrieved 24 December 2023 ARIA Top 20 Australian Albums for week of 4 September 2023 ARIA Charts 4 September 2023 Archived from the original on 27 October 2023 Retrieved 27 October 2023 External links editWhere the Angels Fall at Discogs list of releases Where the Angels Fall at MusicBrainz list of releases Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Where the Angels Fall amp oldid 1216668810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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