The Cat Empire discography

(Redirected from Demo/The Cat Empire)

The discography of the Australian jazz and funk band the Cat Empire consists of nine studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums, two video albums, four extended plays, and forty-three singles. The band has scored two number-one albums and six top ten albums on the ARIA Charts. They have been nominated for twelve ARIA Music Awards, of which they have won one.[1] They were formed in 1999 by founding members Felix Riebl, Ollie McGill, and Ryan Monro. Long-term members Harry James Angus, Jamshid Khadiwala and Will Hull-Brown joined the band in 2001. The group independently released a live extended play, Live @ Adelphia, in December 2001, and their first live album, The Sun, in July 2002.[2][3] In October 2003, "Hello" was released as the lead single from The Cat Empire. Later that month, the album was released under Virgin Records,[4] peaking at number 15 on the ARIA Charts and giving the group mainstream recognition. It went on to be certified 3x platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 210,000 copies in 2012.

The Cat Empire discography
Eight men performing on a stage. From left to right; two horns, timbales, shekere, drums, vocals, bass (obscured), keyboards.
The Cat Empire at the 2013 Winnipeg Folk Festival
Studio albums9
Live albums3
Compilation albums3
Video albums2
EPs4
Singles43

In April 2005, they released their second studio album, Two Shoes, which provided two top-fifty singles and debuted at the top of the Australian charts. It became their first international release when it was reissued in Canada the following year.[5] In March 2006, they performed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony to a crowd of over 75,000.[6][7] The music recorded for the event was released the following month as Cities.[8] Their fourth album, So Many Nights, was released in September 2007, reaching number two on the ARIA charts. The lead single from that album, "No Longer There", is their highest-charting to date, peaking at number 12. In 2009, they released their second live album, Live on Earth, which collects concert recordings taken from shows between August 2006 and December 2008.[9] They released their fifth album, Cinema, in June 2010. Critics dubbed it a more mature effort than the group's previous albums.[10][11] It debuted at number three on the album charts.

Their sixth studio album and first via an independent label,[12] Steal the Light, was released in May 2013, peaking at number three. Critics considered the album to be "a return to their original aesthetic".[13] It was the first release in a trilogy of three conceptually similar albums by the group produced by Jan Skubiszewski.[14] The second album in that trilogy, Rising with the Sun, was released in March 2016, debuting at number one. From July 2018 to February 2019, the band released a new single on the first of every month, leading up to the release of their eighth album, Stolen Diamonds.[14] In 2021, the original lineup disbanded after a final show at the 2022 Byron Bay Bluesfest, except for founding members Riebl and McGill.[15] By late 2022, new members Grace Barbé, Daniel Farrugia, Neda Rahmani and Lazaro Numa had joined,[16] and the group released their ninth album, Where the Angels Fall, in August 2023.

Albums

Studio albums

List of studio albums, showing title, details, selected chart positions and certifications
TitleDetailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
(sales thresholds)
AUS
[17]
NLD
[18]
SWI
[19]
The Cat Empire15
Two Shoes1
Cities: The Cat Empire Project
  • Released: 1 April 2006
  • Label: EMI, Virgin
  • Format: CD, digital download
11
So Many Nights
  • Released: 22 September 2007
  • Label: EMI, Virgin, Velour
  • Format: CD, digital download
2
Cinema
  • Released: 25 June 2010
  • Label: EMI, Virgin, Velour
  • Format: CD, digital download
3
Steal the Light
  • Released: 17 May 2013
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: CD, digital download
388
Rising with the Sun
  • Released: 4 March 2016
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: CD, digital download
151
Stolen Diamonds
  • Released: 15 February 2019
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: CD, digital download
4
Where the Angels Fall
  • Released: 25 August 2023
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
73
"—" denotes releases that failed to chart or were not released in that country.

Live albums

List of live albums, showing title, details, chart positions and notes
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsNotes
AUS
[17]
The Sun
  • Released: July 2002
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
Recorded at Adelphia Studios in mid 2002.[23] It was sold at their live performances, but never officially released.[2]
Live on Earth
  • Released: 28 February 2009
  • Label: EMI
  • Format: 2CD
14Live recordings from shows between August 2006 and December 2008.[24]
The Cat Empire (Live from Melbourne, December 2021) [Original Line-up Final Tour]
  • Released: 15 April 2022
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: digital
The band's live performance at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in December 2021, one of the final shows by the original lineup.[25][26]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, showing title, details and notes
TitleDetailsNotes
Tapes, Breaks and Out-Takes
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
A compilation of outtakes from The Cat Empire (2003), and tracks from Live @ Adelphia and The Sun. The interludes were recorded at rehearsals and gigs.[27][28]
Asylum
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital
Released in association with Tunes for Change, a not-for-profit organisation,[29] aiming to raise AU$50,000 for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. A compilation of rare recordings and songs by the members' side projects.[30]
The Adelphia Sessions
  • Released: 2 November 2021
  • Label: Two Shoes
  • Format: digital
A selection of tracks from Live @ Adelphia and The Sun.[31]

Video albums

List of video albums, showing title, details and certifications
TitleDetailsCertificationsNotes
On the Attack
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Virgin
  • Format: DVD, CD
Consists of live recordings and backstage footage from the band's tour of Australia in March and April, 2004, along with a bonus CD.[33][34]
Live at the Bowl
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: EMI
  • Format: 2x DVD
The first disc is a recording of an entire 2008 show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and the second consists of backstage footage and other performances. It was released concurrently with Live on Earth.[36]

Extended plays

List of extended plays, showing title, details and notes
TitleDetailsNotesRef.
Live @ Adelphia
  • Released: December 2001
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
Recorded live at Adelphia Studios in a single day.[37] Features early versions of future tracks.[38][2]
Touring Europe and the UK, 2004
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD
Selection of tracks from their debut album, plus an outtake, "Feline". Released to promote their 2004 European tour.[39]
The Cat Empire
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Velour
  • Format: CD
Selection of tracks from The Cat Empire and Two Shoes, plus three videos. Designed as an introduction to the American market.[40]
Live at Martyrs'
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Velour
  • Format: CD
Recorded live at Martyrs' in 2007 for WXRT's Sunday Night Concert. Features performances of tracks from The Cat Empire and Two Shoes.[41][42]

Singles

List of singles, showing year released, chart positions and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
AUS
[17][43]
NZ
[44]
NL
[18]
"Hello"[45]2003[A]12The Cat Empire
"Days Like These"[46]200437
"The Chariot"[47]34
"One Four Five"
"Sly"[48]200523Two Shoes
"The Car Song"[49]46
"Two Shoes"[50]77
"Down at the 303" (Live)2007Non-album single
"No Longer There"[51]12So Many Nights
"So Many Nights"
"Fishies"200899
"How to Explain?" (Live at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl)2009Live on Earth
"Feelings Gone"2010Cinema
"On My Way"
"Brighter Than Gold"[52]20136833Steal the Light
"Steal the Light"
"Qué Será Ahora"[53]2015Rising with the Sun
"Wolves"[54]
"Bulls"[55]2016
"Ready Now"[56]2018Stolen Diamonds
"Stolen Diamonds"[57]
"La Sirène"[58]
"Kila"[59]
"Sola" (featuring DePredo)[60]
"Barricades"[61]
"Oscar Wilde"[62]
"Echoes"[63]2019
"Oscar Wilde" (featuring Grace Barbé) (Live at Odeon Theatre)[64]Non-album singles
"Going to Live"[65]2021
"Great Beauty"[66]
"Coming to Meet You"[67]
"The Scream"[68]
"Sparrow"[69]
"Into the Night"[70]
"The Crowd"[71]2022The Cat Empire (Live from Melbourne, December 2021) [Original Line-up Final Tour]
"Still Young"[71]
"Thunder Rumbles"[72]2023Where the Angels Fall
"Rock 'n' Roll"[72]
"Money Coming My Way"[72]
"Owl"[72]
"How to Explain" (Anniversary Edition)[73]Non-album singles
"Hello" (Anniversary Edition)[73]
"La Gracia"[74]2024TBA
"—" denotes items which failed to chart or was not released in that country.

Notes

Music videos

TitleYearDirector(s)
"Hello"2003Felix Riebl, Ian McGill, Mike Reed[75]
"Days Like These"Mike Metzner[76]
"The Chariot"2004Felix Riebl, Ian McGill, Mike Reed[75]
"One Four Five"
"Sly"2005Susi Stitt[77]
"The Car Song"Ben Quinn[77]
"Two Shoes"Michael Delaney[77]
"No Longer There"2007
"So Many Nights"
"Fishies"2008Various[78]
"Feelings Gone"2010
"Brighter than Gold"2013Nicholas Verso[79]
"Steal the Light"Ash Koek[80]
"Like a Drum"Dominic Allen, Martin Pimentel[81]
"Wolves"2015Guy Franklin[82]
"Bulls"2016Darcy Prendergast[83]
"Ready Now"2018Dominic Allen[84]
"Stolen Diamonds"
"La Sirène"
"Kila"
"Sola"
"Barricades"
"Oscar Wilde"2019
"Echoes"
"Thunder Rumbles"2023Nick Campbell[85]
"Rock 'n' Roll"Giulia Giannini McGauran[86]
"Money Coming My Way"Josh Harris[87]
"Boom Boom"Nick Campbell[88]
"La Gracia"2024Dara Munnis[89]

See also

References