"This time the band have toned things down a little, delivering a quieter, more experimental and ultimately more reflective set."
It's sometimes easy to take The Cat Empire for granted.
Having burst onto the scene in 2003 with their debut record, the Melbourne six-piece have released quality albums with such regularity you're sometimes too busy dancing along to really appreciate their creativity and charm. Seventh album Rising With The Sun is no exception to this rule, once again skilfully mashing up jazz, soul, funk and rock into some fantastic autumn party anthems. But where 2013's Steal The Light dished up one rapidfire potential single after another, this time the band have toned things down a little, delivering a quieter, more experimental and ultimately more reflective set.
That's not immediately apparent as Wolves and Bulls kick things off with a rush. Both tracks are big party starters and the latter — written by Felix Riebl after an especially vivid dream — even includes punk elements. It all slows down with reggae-flavoured Midnight while Riebl hits some serious high notes on You Are My Song. The band honour the victims of last year's Paris attacks with the defiantly upbeat Bataclan, singing "vive" to the sky and recalling a venue they know well. It's a big highlight here, along with Ollie McGill letting rip on the keys in Daggers Drawn. The album finishes with something of a whimper, though, as Que Sera Ahora and Creature seem somewhat unfinished and tacked on. But that doesn't detract too much from another quality outing from a band that just keeps delivering.