The Cat Empire: Brighter Than Gold

I came across The Cat Empire a week or so ago, and I have to confess… this is not a band that I thought I would like. It’s hard to describe their sound, as it seems a mixture of a lot of different influences.

For this song, Brighter Than Gold, there’s this undercurrent of ska and… not sure what you would call it. Latin? Salsa? A lot of heavy, brassy horns that at times make me think of Miami Sound Machine.

But as catchy and upbeat as the song is on the whole, it’s the refrain that’s really gotten its hooks into me. The drums and backing instruments seemingly fall away to just the vocals, and it’s this part of the song that seems to have really caught my ear.

Like I said – really not the kind of thing I usually listen to. But lately, on my walks to and from work, this song’s been on rotation.