This song gives me a sneaking suspicion that we might just have, possibly, maybe, heard the last Empire studio album. Has the feeling gone? It's certainly changed massively since the days of their first two albums. It's not just the musical style, it's the whole philosophy of their music seen through the lyrics - they'll never write another straightforward "life is for living" song in the mould of Two Shoes, Manifesto, The Chariot, Days Like These, One Four Five (the list goes on). Much of the lyricism on the new album just seems darker, almost less sure of themselves - plus there's not one song in a major key on Cinema.
If you consider the band's development through So Many Nights, they did become more philosophical and measured, bordering on sadness (Sunny Moon, No Mountain...) but they mixed it up with jubilation (Strong Coffee, Panama). The new album doesn't seem to have that element. If Fishies is to So Many Nights as 'How To Explain?' is to The Cat Empire, Falling is Cinema's equivalent and it just seems that little bit more negative.
Of course, I'm probably totally wrong and they'll continue to develop their sound and songwriting over another ten years and amaze us all with what they come up with. But I'm making damn sure I'm catching them live again when they next come to the UK.
This song gives me a sneaking suspicion that we might just have, possibly, maybe, heard the last Empire studio album. Has the feeling gone? It's certainly changed massively since the days of their first two albums. It's not just the musical style, it's the whole philosophy of their music seen through the lyrics - they'll never write another straightforward "life is for living" song in the mould of Two Shoes, Manifesto, The Chariot, Days Like These, One Four Five (the list goes on). Much of the lyricism on the new album just seems darker, almost less sure of themselves - plus there's not one song in a major key on Cinema.
If you consider the band's development through So Many Nights, they did become more philosophical and measured, bordering on sadness (Sunny Moon, No Mountain...) but they mixed it up with jubilation (Strong Coffee, Panama). The new album doesn't seem to have that element. If Fishies is to So Many Nights as 'How To Explain?' is to The Cat Empire, Falling is Cinema's equivalent and it just seems that little bit more negative.
Of course, I'm probably totally wrong and they'll continue to develop their sound and songwriting over another ten years and amaze us all with what they come up with. But I'm making damn sure I'm catching them live again when they next come to the UK.